t^o< 



A 9. 






.( 









.6" 






.0 



<'. 



.^<^ 






o V 










0' 



,0 










-> V V'-I"n„*- 












*•■ » 





















Head of Zeus — (V9.tican, Rome) 



i 



I 



GR.EEK MYTH5 

AND THEIK. ART 

THE GREEK MYTH J A J AN 
INvSFIKATION IN AKT AND 
IN LITERATURE y y ^ A 
JUPPLEMENTAKY KEADEK 
PREPARED FOR USE IN THE 
FOURTH, FIFTH AND wflXTH 
GRADE J OF JCHOOL Vy 

BY 

CHAPsiEJ E. MANN TA.S 

SUPERINTENDENT OF 

WEwTT BATAVIA PUBLIC J-CUOOhS 

BATAVIA, ILLlNOIwT 




The Prang Educational Company 

NEWYOF..K CHICAGO 



I 






lUBRARYofCONSRESS 
I Two Copies Recsivei? 
jAN 18 1908 

COPY 8. 



Copyright, 1907, by 
THE PRANG EDUCATIONAL COMPANY 



C 



Preface 

Kodaks are now so ingeniously made, that, by 
means of a thread properly attached to a spring 
in the instrument, an animal in passing may un- 
consciously take its own picture. In a like uncon- 
scious way, the nations of the earth in their myths 
have drawn their moral and intellectual photographs. 
Every historic nation has asked some time in its 
early history, how this world came to be, whence 
the gods and what their purpose and power in the 
world, what the origin of man, what the rules thaf 
should govern his conduct, what his relation to 
the gods, what the rewards and punishments that 
he shall receive in this world and in -the next. 
These inquiries have been most sincere and absorb- 
ing, and their answers make up the myths of a 
nation. In these myths each people has exhibited 
its power of thought, its moral code, and its con- 
ception of beauty in form and in color, as well 
as in conduct. It has, all unconsciously, drawn a 
picture of its inner and most essential life. Like 
true biography, myths reveal motives and ideals 
and permit us to see what comes from them. They 
are not, as some people seem to suppose, merely 
uetty little stories formed by the wild fancies of an 

iii 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

untutored people. They involve some of the pro- 
foundest problems of human life. They require, 
therefore, the most careful study and thoughtful 
interpretation. 

Among no other people of the world have myths 
possessed such depth and subtlety of meaning, or 
reached such beauty, as in Greece. To compare 
Greek myths with the myths of any other nation is 
like comparing the web woven by Arachne with 
the divine glory and greatness of the fabric which 
Athene wove upon an Olympian loom. Many 
nations have never gone beyond the grotesque and 
the fantastic in their myths. Others, though they 
have gained a rugged strength, lack form and com- 
pleteness. The Greeks, on the contrary, possessed 
a power of independent thought, a spirit of inquiry 
and a genius for beauty that enabled them to create 
a vast body of myths, generally strong in ethics, 
always suffused with beauty, and occasionally lighted 
by a spiritual glow not dimmed by comparison with 
the newer thought of the twentieth Christian century. 

Unlike Athene, myths do not spring into being 
full grown, but, like Zeus, they have a period of 
infancy and of growth before reaching maturity. 
Like Zeus, too, they are fed by the divine influences 
about them, the milk and honey of a just and beau- 
tiful world. They pass through a period of rough 
savagery, and later, one of irrationality incident to 
a partially civilized people, before reaching their 

iv 



PREFACE 

highest and most enlightened form. It is but natu- 
ral, then, that myths as we now find them should 
have fragments from a savage or an irrational time 
clinging to them. This accounts for many of the 
harsh and cruel things done by gods and goddesses. 
Such acts represent, not the moral ideals of the 
refined Greek, but the ideals of a people on the way 
toward refinement. These relics of bygone savagery 
are -still kept as parts of the myths to which they 
adhere by the respect accorded to age, especially in 
regard to those things looked upon as sacred. 

Since myths are the embodied answers to some 
great world questions already indicated, it would 
certainly be altogether irrational to interpret them 
narrowly or literally. It is safe to anticipate a 
broad figurative meaning, and it is in this spirit 
that the myths have been told in this book, wath 
the hope of making them clear enough to carry 
their own interpretation. 

Another feature in interpretation should be men- 
tioned. A desire to give a divine origin to some 
of their lesser gods and goddesses, as well as to 
their heroes, led the Greeks to invent tales by which 
to establish for such deities or heroes the father- 
hood of Zeus, Apollo, Poseidon or some other of 
the great ones of Olympus. This occurs so fre- 
quently that it can not be ignored or eliminated 
without doing great violence to many of the myths. 
Taken literally, such conduct would seem to sanction 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

domestic infidelity and social impurity, and this is 
not consistent with refined Greek thought. It 
was the early Greeks who invented the myths, and 
gave the attribute of universal fatherhood to certain 
of the gods in order to add a larger touch of divinity 
to the heroes and thus insure for them a greater 
reverence. Later, the Greeks adopted this inter- 
pretation and we will do well to follow their 
example. 

Mythology is not science, and we cannot expect 
that the mass of knowledge comprehended in myths 
will take on that logical and orderly arrangement 
which we demand of scientific truth, yet there is in 
many cases a necessary sequence, and in almost all 
cases a natural grouping that greatly aids in under- 
standing and interpreting them. Studied in this way, 
each successive myth of a group is more easily under- 
stood because of the study of those which have pre- 
ceded it, and it will in turn throw light on those of 
the same group that follow. So, too, the study of 
one group of myths will add to the interest in the 
next and lessen the effort required to understand it. 
The effect of this cumulative study of any subject 
has immeasurably more interest and educative value 
than the study of unrelated bits at odd times. To 
make such a method of study possible to children 
is one of the aims of this book. 

Among the various kinds of reading matter now 
offered to children none creates more lively or 

vi 



PREFACE 

lasting interest than that pertaining to Greek myths. 
Years of experience in the use of this material in 
the elementary classes confirm this statement. 
The meaning does not go over their heads. They 
enter into them and freely challenge the right and 
the wrong of what is done, and they make ready 
application to present-day affairs of the principles 
involved in the myth. The beauty and delicacy 
shown by the myths delight them, and nothing can 
be offered that will furnish better training for the 
imagination, — a faculty quite as necessary to the 
business man as to the poet. The golden age of 
childhood seems peculiarly the time to gain some- 
thing like an organized knowledge of this subject. 
If neglected then, no amount of after effort in the 
use of the classical dictionary or other reference 
books will quite make good the loss. 

Greek myths have a content that quite justifies 
their use as reading matter for children, even if 
there were no other reason for their sanction ; but 
other very potent reasons force themselves upon us 
whether we will or no. The writers of the best 
literature have used and are still using these myths 
to illustrate and illuminate their thought, so that 
one can not read good literature intelligently with- 
out a knowledge of the myths when thus used. Be- 
side this, art is filled with creation inspired by these 
myths. All the best painting and sculpture of 
the Greeks themselves looked to their myths for 

vii 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

inspiration, and in modern art also are to be found 
works of the highest excellence from the same 
motives, so that any adequate appreciation of such 
subjects is quite impossible without a knowledge of 
Greek myths. The pictures in this book are not 
offered as mere decorations, but, with the interpre- 
tive and biographical matter accompanying them, it 
is hoped that they may greatly aid in generous and 
intelligent understanding of the subjects illustrated. 

In all appreciative reading, either by adults or 
children, the right point of view is always important 
If possible, the point of view should be gained be- 
fore the matter is read. With children in school, 
this is not only practical but is absolutely demanded. 
To help children to gain it is the special function of 
the teacher. The words used may be fairly familiar, 
and yet one may not be able to understand the 
printed page. One must be so in sympathy with 
the situation and the spirit of the thought that is to 
be read, that he can not only perceive it intellectually, 
but feel it emotionally. No thought has become 
one's own, and consequently no thought can be 
fully appreciated until both these conditions have 
been realized. 

Modern scholars first came to a knowledge of 
Greek myths through Latin writers who used the 
Latin names for the gods, goddesses and heroes. 
The incongruity of using Latin names for Greek 
subjects has quite largely been permitted to 

viii 



PREFACE 

continue. In this book it is intended to use only 
Greek names, but to avoid confusion when the 
children read these myths from other sources, the 
Greek names, with the Roman correlatives in 
parenthesis, are given in the index. Their pro- 
nunciation is also indicated. No teacher need fear 
that the difficulty of these names will be any serious 
obstacle to the study of the myths. 

Experience has shown also that the geography 
connected with the myths may become a positive 
aid, both in fixing the narrative and in increasing 
the interest of the children. A place should never 
be named without locating it and having the chil- 
dren know its comparative distance and direction. 
In this book a double-page map is provided, which, 
it is believed, will enable the children to do this 
work adequately. 

The most sincere thanks are due to those earnest 
and loyal assistant teachers without whose aid this 
little book would never have been published. It is 
offered to the public with the hope that it may fall 
into the hands of other equally intelligent and 
earnest teachers whose lips may have been touched 
by waters that flow from the sweet fountain in 
Aphrodite's garden. 



IX 



CONTENTS 



PAGE 

PREFACE . . . . o . . c o c iii 

COxNTENTS c , = . xi 

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS . . . o . . xiii 

INTRODUCTION xv 

CHAPTER 

I The Creation ....... i 

II Zeus .3 

III Prometheus 16 

IV Pandora and Epimetheus .... 23 
V The Forest of Dodona 29 

VI Baucis and Philemon 31 

VII Athene 36 

VIII Contest between Poseidon and Athene . 40 

IX Arachne 52 

X Heph^stus 56 

XI Aphrodite . . . . . . , .66 

XII Atalanta 73 

XIII Pygmalion 77 

XIV The Apple of Discord 78 

XV Adonis 82 

XVI Anchises and ^neas » 85 

xi 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 



CHAPTER 

XVII Eros and Psyche 

XVIII Apollo . 

XIX The Python 

XX Helios and Clyjie 

XXI Phaethon 

XXII Admetus 

XXIII Daphne . 

XXIV Hyacinthus 
XXV Arist^us 

XXVI Apollo and the Lyre 

XXVII Orpheus and Eurydice 

XXVIII NiOBE . . . . 

XXIX Echo and Narcissus . 

XXX Midas . . 

XXXI The Golden Touch . 



INDEX AND GLOSSARY 



PAGE 

86 



1 06 
no 

113 
116 
121 

125 
126 
129 

T33 
136 
140 

144 
147 

151 



xu 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 



Head of Zeus (Vatican, Rome) . . . Frontispiece 

Map of Anxiext Greece . .' . . 0pp. page 

Anxtext World Accordixg to the Greeks 

KixGDOM OF Hades 

Olympiax Zeus, Pheidias .... 

Head of Hera (Villa Ludovisi) 

Zeus' Nursed bv the Goat, Amalthea 

Zeus axd his Car, Raphael . . . . 

Hope, Thorvaldsen ...... 

Athexe (Vatican, Rome) . . . . 

Plax of the Acropolis 

View of the Acropolis, Athexs, at the Pres 
ENT Time 



The Parthenon Restored .... 

Ruins of the Parthenon .... 

Forge of Vulcan, Velasquez (Museum, Madrid) 

Thetis bearing the Armor of Achilles 
FraiK^ois Gerard ..... 

Venus of Melos (Louvre) . . 

Aphrodite Equipping Eros, Titian (Borghese 
Palace, Rome) ...... 

Atalaxta's Race, Poynter .... 



XV 

xvii 
xix 
6 ^^ 

lo 

12 
26 

38'^ 
44 

44^ 
48 
50 
60 

64 
68 

70 
74 



Xlll 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 



Paris (Vatican, Rome) 

Eros and Psyche, Burne-Joiies 

Psyche Ferried Across the Styx by Charon 
Emil Neide (Konigsburg Museum) . 

Leto and Her QY{\\AiV.YM, Peter Paul Rubens 

Apollo Belvedere (Vatican, Rome) 

Daphne and Apollo, Fi-ancesco Albani 

Apollo Musagetes ..... 

Orpheus, Eurydice and Hermes 

NiOBE AND her YoUNGEST DAUGHTER 



0pp. page 



80 

88 

96 

102 
104 

124 
130 
134 

138 



XIV 




Map of A 




fENT Greece 



Introduction 

The world has always knelt in happy worship 
before the good story-teller. When, with a far- 
away look in his eye, he has said, " Once upon a 
time," everybody has been pleased to listen ; and it 
would be very hard to say which is happier, the one 
who tells the story or those who listen. Age makes 
little difference. The grandfather with gentle eyes 
and snowy locks, the busy mother, the eager and 
impetuous children are charmed alike. 

Every good story is a bit of real life and is really 
true ; not, perhaps, just as the words are spoken, 
ut as they are meant. Hence, it is sometimes as 
rd to understand a story rightly as to tell it hap- 
ly. As the- sweetest music ever played or sung 
would be lost if it were heard only by dull or silly 
people, so the most interesting story fails in its pur- 
pose unless it is told to those who can understand 
its meaning. 

Of all the different peoples of the earth, the 
Greeks have given us the greatest number of stories 
worth the telling. This seems even the more re- 
markable when we remember that many of these 
stories were told three thousand years ago, when 
the people were not so wise in some things as 
they now are. It is a long time since Columbus 

XV 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

discovered the great western world, but it is nearly 
eight times as many years from Columbus back to 
the time when the Greek fathers and mothers were 
telling these tales to their children. If one's grand- 
father is seventy-five years old to-day, these years 
would need to be multiplied by forty to reach the 
time when most of the Greek myths and hero-tales 
were first told. 

But the Greeks were not so wise in everything 
as they were in the things so beautifully told in 
their myths. Children of to-day may quite properly 
smile at geography as taught by the old Greek 
schoolmasters. Yet, however incorrect it may 
have been, one needs to know it in order to under- 
stand many things in their myths and in the 
stories of their heroes. 

They thought the world w^as flat and shaped like 
a circle with their own country in the middle, the 
very center being at their great temple of Delphi, 
where they went to talk. with their gods. "The 
Sea " (the Mediterranean and Black Seas) divided 
the earth into a northern and a southern half; and 
around all ran the Ocean River, moving in the 
direction that the hands of a clock move. This 
great Ocean River fed the Sea and all the rivers of 
the earth and was never disturbed by storms. 

On the northern edge of the earth were very 
high mountains with vast caverns from which were 
sent the fierce, cold blasts of winter. Still further 

xvi 



INTRODUCTION 

north was a peaceful, sunny land which no man 
could reach. Here, free from pain and sickness, 
lived a happy people called the Hyperboreans, who 
were never forced to work and never grew old. 

On the south side of the earth lived another 
happy people, the y^thiopians, so loved by the gods 




HYPERBOREANS 

MOUNTAINS FROM WHICH COLD 

BLASTS CAME 
AETHIOPIANS 

PEOPLE THE GREEKS KNEW 
ISLES OF THE BLESSED 



6 MT. OLYMPUS 

7 DELPHI 

8 OCEAN RIVER 

9 PILLARS OF HERACLES 
FOREST OF DODONA 



The World as understood by the Ancient Greeks 
From a sketch by a third-grade pupil. 

that the latter became their guests and joined with 
them in songs and banquets. 

On the eastern side were many people with whom 
the Greeks traded, and against whom they some- 
times fought. 

On the western margin were the Elysian Fields, 
or Isles of the Blessed, where the balmy air was 



XVll 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART . 

filled with sweet odors, and the pure water of the 
streams reflected the blue of an unclouded sky. 
There, flowery plains, laced by silvery, singing 
streams, shaded by groves, and made delightful by 
the music of birds, everywhere filled and satisfied 
the view. Added to these were gardens of sweet 
flowers and mellow fruits. No scorching heats or 
wintry chills ever visited the Isles of the Blessed, 
where fear nor hate, pain nor tears were ever known. 
There lived the worthy ones who had passed from 
earth ; the unselfish, the pure in heart, the noble, 
and such heroes as had not been especially favored 
and taken directly to Olympus to live with the gods. 

But the parts below the surface of the earth were 
just as real to the Greeks as the things visible upon 
the surface, and were frequently the scenes of their 
tales and myths. In the lower region was the 
kingdom of Hades, or Hell, to which all the dead 
went, but where no living person was permitted to 
dwell. The entrance to this kingdom was through 
a great cavern, by some said to be in southern 
Greece, near the promontory of Taenarus, but by 
others placed in southern Italy near the poisonous 
lake Avernus, not far from Mount Vesuvius. 

In this region was a great city, guarded by a wall 
that none could climb, and entered through a great 
gateway ever watched by the sleepless dog, Cerberus. 
Outside the city were two rivers: the Styx, by 
which the gods took their oaths, and the Acheron, 

xviii 



INTRODUCTION 



the river of sighing and of tears. The souls of 
the dead could cross these rivers only in the frail 
boat of the ferryman, Charon, and he would take 
none who could not pay him his fee and none 
whose body had not been honored by proper burial. 
For this reason, the Greeks were very careful to 




ACHERON 
STYX 
COCYTUS 
LETHE 
ENTRANCE TO C1TY< 
6 TARTARUS 
■pHLEGETHON 

8 HALLOFJUDGMENT 

9 PALACE OF HADEST 

10 WAY TO TARTARUS 

11 WAY TO LETHE 

12 WAY TO 

ELYSIAN FIELDS 



From a sketch by a third-grade pupil. 



bury their dead, and to place a small coin under 
the tongue of each. If this were not done, the soul 
must wait and wander for a hundred years before 
being taken over those two rivers. A third river, 
Cocytus, flowed from the Styx, and its waters gave 
out sounds of weeping and groaning, most dismal 
to hear. 

In the midst of the city stood the great palace of 
Hades, its king. This palace was built of the 



XIX 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

hardest stone, beautifully polished, and was lighted 
within by great gems and brilliant diamonds. At 
one end of the grand hall of this palace stood a 
yellow throne, resplendent with the luster of the 
rock and the fineness of its polish. Another great 
building of the city was the Hall of Judgment, 
where each soul must speak fully and truly of its 
life on earth and be judged accordingly. 

Just beyond the Hall of Judgment, the roadway 
divided into three branches, one of which led to the 
great brass prison called Tartarus, so strong that it 
could not be broken and so deep that it seemed 
bottomless. This way must be taken by those who 
had lived unworthily. From this pit, or prison, 
could be heard the rattle of the chains that bound 
the wicked, and the fearful cries uttered by them 
in their misery. Escape from Tartarus w^as made 
impossible by a river of fire, called Phlegethon, 
which sent up a wall of flame as it slowly flowed 
around the pit. 

The second way led out of the city into trackless 
plains and dark forests, through which wound 
the sluggish river of Forgetfulness, called Lethe. 
Those who took this way had done little that was 
worthy of praise in life, either because they were 
not naturally thoughtful and kind, or because they 
had never been taught the value of kindness. They 
were permitted to bathe in Lethe and wash away 
the memory of their former selfishness and folly, 

XX 



INTRODUCTION 

forget the pains and wrongs of the past, and to 
resume an earthly Hfe with brighter hope and larger 
promise of success. 

The third was a shining way which led to the 
Isles of the Blessed and was taken by all who had 
lived noble lives and kept their hearts pure. 

Above the earth were the blue sky, the pure air, 
and the bright sunshine. Far beyond the sky these 
Greek people believed was yet a clearer blue, where 
the air was softer and the sunshine more kindly 
and full of life. There, peace and beauty and 
great joy were always present, and there lived the 
gods on Mount Olympus. Each of the greater gods 
lived in a beautiful palace of his own, situated 
within his particular kingdom, but all obeyed the 
dread and powerful Zeus, and at his command met 
in the great hall of his palace. The highway along 
which they travelled could be easily traced by the 
many lights which they and their attendants carried, 
and is now known as the Milky Way. 

Thus did the Greeks divide the world. These 
divisions may not agree with the geographies of 
today, but many things about their myths are beauti- 
fully true, and are as well suited to our own thought 
as they were to the thought of the Greeks. If we 
are to understand the myths and hero-tales of this 
w^onderful people, these things must be remembered. 

Greek stories may be divided into two classes. 
One class tells of the gods and goddesses, what 

xxi 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

part they took in the management of their domestic 
affairs, how they sometimes concerned themselves 
with human interests, and of their doings and ad- 
ventures on the earth as well as in their own realm 
where no mortal was permitted to enter. Such 
stories are called myths. The other class deals 
with real or legendary heroes, those who have done 
great deeds, and of whose lives we have heard in 
story and in song. Though many stories of 
famous old Greeks represent the gods as taking 
a prominent part in directing affairs, it is the real 
hero who interests us most, notwithstanding the 
occasional intervention of their gods. 

Judged by present day standards these heroes 
did not always do the wisest or most noble thing. 
Sometimes they acted very cruelly, yet they did so 
many good deeds, and left behind them so many 
happy people, that we of the present day can read 
about them and think about them with profit and 
pleasure. Neither need we be shocked if their 
gods do not always act as we would have them 
act. They were, as the gods of other people ever 
are, very human, and it is quite remarkable that 
their acts seldom fall to a low or unworthy level. 



XXll 



Greek Myths and their Art 



THE CREATION 

The Greeks thought that the world had not 
always been as they found it, full of music and 
beauty, which, when put to good uses, helps human 
beings to live pure and gentle lives. They thought 
that once there was no earth, no sea, no sky, no 
light; that everything was spread through the 
world like the blackest and thickest fog and so 
remained until some power strong enough and kind 
enough should appear and change it for the better. 
This power finally came to the center of the black 
world and was called Love. 

Love sent its strength through the darkness 
like arrows of light, and gradually there came the 
dry land and the waters, the blue sky, the soft air, 
the sun, the moon and the stars. Life appeared. 
Plants on the land and in the water grew and mul- 
tiplied, bringing the flowers with their wondrous 
colors and sweet odors. On the land and in the 
water were countless animals ; .birds flew in and out 
among the trees, giving to the world the beauty of 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

their plumage and the charm of their song, but no 
human beings yet appeared. 

Over all reigned the great god Uranus and his 
queen, Gaea. Whence and how they came no one 
knows, and how long they ruled the world we can 
only guess. They were succeeded by their son 
Kronos and his queen Rhea; but trouble came to 
these rulers, and finally war, of which we shall learn 
in the story of Zeus. 




II 

ZEUS 

Although queen of the world, Rhea had sorrow, 
and not without cause. Two sons and three daugh- 
ters had come to her and might have brought her 
joy, but each was early taken from her and she 
could learn nothing of them. She feared they 
were dead and yet she knew that children of a god 
and goddess should live forever. What made it 
still worse was that Rhea believed it was their 
father, Kronos, who had either concealed or de- 
stroyed them. 

So, when the baby Zeus was born, she determined 
to hide him with the Qrreatest care. After Iouq- and 
careful search she found a cave on the island of 
Crete which seemed just what she wished. Trees, 
shrubs and vines concealed its entrance, and inside 
were large, high rooms, which she caused to be 
lighted by sparkling gems. She arranged for him 
a dainty bed and formed cosy nooks, cushioned with 
the softest moss. It is said, too, that some unknown 
power very secretly sent Amalthea, a goat, each 
day to furnish fresh milk for this wonderful baby. 

As time went on the baby grew rapidly. As soon 
as he was old enough to understand, his mother told 
him of the loss of his brothers and sisters, and 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

together they planned how it would be possible to 
find them if they were alive, and how Kronos 
might be prevented from causing further sorrow. 

When Kronos learned what they were doing he 
was angry, and said Zeus should be punished ; but 
that was not easily done, for Zeus had become 
strong and wise, and found powerful helpers. He 
went to the Cyclops, a race of one-eyed giants that 
lived under the earth. They were very cunning 
workmen, and forged thunderbolts for him. He 
went also to the Titans, who were almost as powerful 
as the gods, and succeeded in gaining the help of 
Prometheus. When Epimetheus, the brother of 
Prometheus, learned that he was to aid Zeus, he 
readily consented to join him. Atlas, another 
brother, refused his aid and fought for Kronos. 
Best of all, Zeus discovered his brothers and sisters, 
and found that they were ready to help him. 

Then came fearful wars between Kronos and 
Zeus. The lightnings, or thunderbolts, were Zeus's 
most terrible weapons. He was carried with the 
speed of thought from place to place on the back of 
a very powerful eagle, or drawn in a golden chariot 
by a pair of eagles, while he hurled his bolts at his 
enemies. Some tell us that the warfare lasted for 
ten years, but however long it continued, Kronos 
was finally defeated and Zeus became the mighty 
king of the world. Then he punished some of his 
enemies by placing them in the lowest dungeons 



ZEUS 

of Tartarus. From Kronos was taken the power 
of ruling the world, although he was not put into 
prison ; and Atlas was made to hold the sky on his 
shoulders as his punishment. 

Of course, Zeus did not forget his friends. He 
asked Hera to be his queen, and it must have been 
a proud day for this haughty daughter of Rhea, 
when the merry bells were rung on Olympus to an- 
nounce the happy marriage. We do not know just 
what the bride wore on this very interesting occa- 
sion, nor what music was played, nor who were the 
musicians, but it is quite certain that the nectar and 
ambrosia used at the marriage feast were of the best, 
and that her wedding presents were very valuable. 
The most valued of all were some very remarkable 
apples. Those who ate them never suffered from 
hunger afterward, and forever retained the strength, 
freshness, and beauty of their youth. These apples, 
with other wonderful fruit, grew in one of the 
gardens of the Elysian Fields and they were cared 
for by three beautiful maidens called the Hesperides. 

To Hestia, a sister of Zeus, was given the care of 
all that makes the home happy and sw^eet, and no 
good Greek ever asked help of, or gave thanks to, 
any god or goddess without first offering some 
choice tribute to Hestia. 

Another sister, Demeter, cared for all the fruits 
and the grains, and must have been a very busy and 
useful person indeed. 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

His brother, Poseidon, who was next in power to 
Zeus himself, was given rule over the great waters 
of the earth. He went from place to place in a 
boat made from a beautiful great sea-shell drawn 
by very swift, fish-like horses. His chief weapon 
was a three-pointed spear, called a trident. If all 
things in Poseidon's kingdom moved along pleas- 
antly he was happy, and the waters of the sea slept 
calmly, but when anything went contrary to his 
wishes, Poseidon was angry, and the waters rolled 
and tossed their foam and lashed the shore with 
great violence. 

His other brother, Hades, was given the control 
of the kingdom of the dead. 

Prometheus and Epimetheus, the Titans, although 
not so powerful as the gods, were rewarded for their 
help to Zeus by being permitted to live with the 
gods on Olympus, to partake of nectar and ambrosia, 
and to eat of the apples of the Hesperides and 
remain forever young. 

THE VV^ONDERFUL STATUE OF ZEUS 

By PJieidtas, the Great Sctdptor 

About four hundred and fifty years before the 
birth of Christ, Athens had become the richest and 
most important city among all the states of Greece. 
There lived at that time one of her citizens so 
honest, so broadminded, and so wise that the people 




Olympian Zeus — Pheidias 
Drawing by Flaxinan 



ZEUS 

gladly gave him control of their city, and so success- 
fully did he manage affairs that he remained in 
power as long as he lived. That man was Pericles. 

He did many things for the good of Athens, but 
the most important was to use a part of its wealth 
to make the city beautiful. On the Acropolis, a 
rocky hill, once the home of the founders of the 
city, had been built some temples, but they w^ere 
now old and were never beautiful. These were torn 
down and the best architects were employed to plan 
new temples as beautiful as they were able to 
imagine. But buildings might be constructed of 
the finest material and be satisfactory in form and 
yet lack the touch of real beauty in finish. To 
secure this finish, Pericles sought the greatest 
sculptor the world had to offer and found him in 
Pheidias. 

This sculptor was given charge of all the decora- 
tions to be placed on the buildings planned for the 
Acropolis. He obtained helpers and did his work 
so well, that since that day nothing in art can 
compare with it in beauty. 

The greatest of these temples was the Parthenon, 
the temple of Athene, described on page 46. The 
carvings on this temple comprised thousands of 
different figures, yet each is done with as much care 
as if it were to be studied for itself alone. Even 
those parts which could not be seen from the level 
of the base of the temple w^ere just as carefully 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

done as those which could be seen by all observers. 
The marble slabs on which were carved the decora- 
tions of the Parthenon, if they were arranged in a 
straight line, would reach a distance of several city 
blocks. The figures of the Panathenaic procession 
carved on the frieze of the cella of this temple would 
reach the distance of one and one half city blocks, 
yet, if but one of these marble slabs were placed in a 
museum today it would command greater interest 
among art-loving people than would any other 
ancient relic now known. 

But the fame of such work did not remain in 
Athens alone. One of the cities that heard of it 
was Olympia, in Elis, and later, Pheidias was in- 
duced to go there and make a statue of Zeus. 

The materials used for this were ivory and gold. 
The god was represented sitting on his throne 
W'hich was inlaid with ebony and ivory, decorated 
with beautiful, painted figures, exquisite carvings 
and set with precious stones. On the head of 
Zeus was an olive wreath, in his right hand a gold 
and ivory statue of the Winged Victory, while in 
his left was the scepter with the eagle resting at the 
top. His feet were incased in sandals of gold, his 
beard, hair and robe were made of the same mate- 
rial, while from the face shone a kindly strength 
that could commiand obedience from the most 
powerful of his subjects. The statue was sixty feet 
in height and no worshipper was permitted to see 



ZEUS 

it except through a purple veil which hung in front 
of it. No wonder that this statue, with its great 
size, the flesh-colored tints of its ivory, the sparkle 
of its many gems, the dazzling glory of its gold 
should make many thoughtful Greeks feel that they 
were looking upon the very god himself clothed in 
a mantle of his own lightning. 

When Pheidias had finished this statue and had 
been permitted to carve his own name on its base, 
it is said that he prayed the god to send him some 
sign of his approval, and immediately from a clear 
sky came a bolt of lightning which passed through 
an opening in the roof of the temple and struck the 
ground by the side of the artist. Though we may 
not believe this story literally true, we are quite 
ready to admit that all beauty-loving people since 
the days of Pheidias have placed the stamp of their 
approval on not only this particular statue, but 
upon all the work of this artist. 

Small-minded artists of his own city grew jealous 
of his fame and falsely accused him of dishonoring 
the gods, and it is the shame of Athens, whose glory 
he was, that he was put into prison and there died 
of a broken heart while awaiting his trial. 

All this has been said that we may the better 
understand why anything connected with Pheidias, 
even remotely, is so carefully cherished. Although 
we have descriptions of many of his statues, nearly 
all the work coming directly from his hands has 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

perished. We have several pieces of statuary 
that are beheved to be modeled after this artist's 
own works. One of the most perfect of these is 
the head of Zeus, now in the Vatican gallery at 
Rome. It was found in the little town of Otricoli, 
near Rome, in 1775. It more nearly resembles the 
head of the great statue at Olympia than anything 
else we have. It has the calm, commanding 
strength that compels obedience and makes even 
the picture of it worth careful study. (See frontis- 
piece^ 



HEAD OF HERA 

Pheidias had many pupils who did work which 
was an honor both to themselves and their teacher, 
but the one who has been especially honored above 
his fellows was Alcamenes. One of his best statues 
was of Queen Hera which was placed in a temple of 
that goddess in Athens. The head here pictured 
is so like the description of the head of that statue 
that it may be a Greek copy of it. 

The queen is crowned by a diadem and the face 
shows a strength which might make her enemies 
tremble with fear. Yet below that flowing hair is a 
gracious face which we can easily believe belongs 
to one who would care for all true women and 
sympathize with them in their sorrow. 

10 




Head of Hera — (Villa Ludovisi, Rome) 



ZEUS 

THE PICTURE OF AMALTHEA 

By Nicolas Poiissin (15^4-1663) 

We have already learned in this chapter of the 
troubles of Queen Rhea and how she was compelled 
to hide baby Zeus in a cave on the island of Crete. 
We have heard also about Amalthea, the goat that 
furnished Zeus with milk. When Amalthea died 
one of her horns w^as used by Demeter in which to 
place valuable gifts for her especial friends. We 
call it the "horn of plenty." When Zeus became 
the ruler of the w^orld he remembered this heaven- 
sent goat and put Amalthea in the heavens in a 
place now marked by a group of stars which we 
call Capricornus, or the goat stars. 

It is no wonder that artists have been interested 
in the story of Amalthea and have shown it in 
their paintings or their statues. One of these 
painters was Nicolas Poussin, whose life is an inter- 
esting one to study. 

Three hundred years ago, when the first English 
settlement in this country was made at Jamestown, 
Va., the young lad Nicolas was in school in a little 
French town where his parents supposed that he 
was learning Latin, but where he was really draw- 
ing pictures on his books, the walls of the school- 
room and anything else that would serve his pur- 
pose. His family belonged to the nobility and had 
been i-ich but had lost their property and it was 

II 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

very hard to get the money to send Nicolas to 
school at all. 

By a happy accident some of the lad's sketches 
fell into the hands of an artist who at once said that 
the boy should study art. The parents consented 
and he studied for a time with a local painter until 
some friend furnished him the money that enabled 
him to study in Paris. There he saw some engrav- 
ings of paintings made by Raphael, Michelangelo 
and other great Italian painters, and these filled him 
with a desire to go to Italy to study its art at first 
hand, but lack of money forced him to wait some 
time before his wishes were realized. 

After his arrival there he found many paintings 
and statues picturing the Greek myths and he was 
greatly pleased with them. He read every thing 
he could find on these myths as well as much Greek 
and Roman history. He lived in these stories so 
much that he knew their people better than he 
knew the people around him. He made nearly one 
hundred pictures to illustrate these myths. 

After years of this delightful work, at the request 
of the French King Louis XIII, he returned to Paris 
where he was greatly honored by everybody except 
a few French artists who were jealous of him. This 
jealousy made Poussin very unhappy, and after 
three years, he obtained permission of the king to 
return to Italy to visit his wife. He never again 
went back to his native land. 



12 



ZEUS 

He left many famous pictures, but he seems to 
be better known by his paintings from the Greek 
myths. 

THE PICTURE OF ZEUS AND HIS CAR 

By RapJiael Sanzio 

Our picture shows the great god Zeus in his 
chariot speeding through the sky above the clouds. 
His chariot is drawm by a pair of eagles which he 
guides by reins held in his left hand while in his 
right hand he holds the thunderbolts with which 
he brings swift punishment to evil-doers. 

The picture was painted by Raphael, one of the 
greatest painters the world has ever known. He 
was born on Good Friday, April 6, 1483, in the 
little town of Urbino, Italy. 

From his childhood, Raphael was fair to look at 
and sweet to live with. His favorite playhouse was 
the studio of his father who was an artist, and his 
choicest playthings were pencils and brushes. 
When not yet eight years old, this wonderful boy 
met, in the death of his sweet mother, the saddest 
loss that can come to any child. Four years later 
his father also died. 

Raphael was then left to the care of his uncle 
and his stepmother who were much more con- 
cerned about the father's property than about the 
little lad. At last an agreement was reached 

13 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

regarding the estate and the uncle placed Raphael 
under Perugino, a thoughtful man and a noted 
painter. When Perugino had been shown some of 
the boy's sketches, he said, " Yes, let him be my 
pupil ; he will soon be my master." 

Before Raphael was twenty-five years old he had 
produced pictures of great value, one having been 
sold not many years ago for three hundred and fifty 
thousand dollars. The greatest Madonna ever 
produced by any artist is the one painted by 
Raphael as an altar-piece for the church of San 
Sisto in Piacenza, Italy, and known as the Sistine 
Madonna. 

He was but twenty-five when he was invited to 
come to Rome, where he produced for the Pope in 
the Vatican some of his greatest paintings. While 
at work here Michelangelo was but a little distance 
from him, painting his great frescoes on the ceiling 
of the Sistine Chapel. 

Raphael did not escape the charm of the Greek 
art he saw in Rome. He painted some very 
delicate and beautiful pictures suggested by his 
study of Greek myths. Among these are his 
" Triumph of Galatea," and the one pictured here, 
" Zeus in his Car." 

Raphael died on his thirty-seventh birthday, on 
April 6, and Good Friday, 1520. All Rome 
mourned for him and honored him by burying 
him in the great church called the Pantheon. 

14 



I 




ZEUS 

It is wonderful that in so short a life he could 
produce nearly three hundred paintings and six 
hundred drawings, all so excellent, but our wonder 
at his industry and our admiration for his art, how- 
ever great, cannot equal our love for the purity and 
nobility of his life. Before his Sistine Madonna 
thousands kneel as in worship, but before the manly 
gentleness and helpfulness of his life all the world 
may wisely bow in sincere reverence. 




15 



Ill 

PROMETHEUS 

How many years went by after Zeus became the 
great king we need not ask. We know that there 
were as yet no human beings, and Prometheus, the 
forethinker, planning for the days and years to 
come, looked down upon the earth from Mount 
Olympus. He saw the beauty of this world, and 
heard its music. He knew that the animals there 
could not appreciate beauty nor understand music. 
Neither could they talk or laugh with one another, 
nor reason about anything. 

" Surely, the world is not yet complete," thought 
Prometheus. " There should be a being greater 
than any yet made that can understand it all and 
learn how to act wisely. These animals do things 
today as they did years ago. There should be one 
who can show a spirit of progress, and who will 
do things better tomorrow than he does today." 

As time went by and none of the gods created 
such a being, Prometheus decided that he himself 
would try. He searched in all the clay-banks of 
the earth until he found the finest material from 
which to form the new being, but he was not satis- 
fied with even this. 

i6 



PROMETHEUS 

" To understand the things of earth, he must have 
in his nature something greater and higher than 
earth," said Prometheus. " I will take sparks of fire 
from the altar on Olympus, the home of the gods." 
When he had mixed the fire with the fine clay of 
earth, he shaped man after the image of the gods, 
gave him life, power of thought and the upright 
form, that his look might be, as was his thought, 
upward. 

After Prometheus had made man, he watched 
over him, but unhappily he did not see the im- 
provement he had hoped for. Man lived miserably 
in trees or caves, was in constant fear of the fierce 
and powerful animals about him, went nearly naked, 
shivered in the cold, and ate his food uncooked 
because he did not know how either to make or 
to use a fire. 

What should Prometheus do ? Furnish man 
with clothing, build houses for him and warm him 
with fire, cook his food and furnish him with all 
comforts ? Or give him some one thing which he 
could learn to use and thus work out the things 
necessary for their improvement ? It would make a 
great difference. The first plan would make human 
beings helpless, dependent entirely upon some one 
else, and the other would make them industrious, 
self-reliant and happy. Prometheus did the wise 
thing. He decided that if man had fire he could 
gain by his own efforts whatever else he needed. 

17 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

There was but one place for Prometheus to get 
fire, and that was from the sacred altar of Zeus on 
Olympus. He asked Zeus for the fire, but was told 
that if men were given fire they would think them- 
selves so strong and wise that they would no longer 
fear or respect the gods. Prometheus still watched 
over them and waited, but the suffering of men in- 
creased. Finally, becoming impatient by the delay, 
he decided that it would be right to take the fire 
without the consent of Zeus. 

He obtained it, therefore, and gave it to men, and 
was filled with joy when he saw how rapidly they 
improved. But Zeus saw the fires on earth and 
easily guessed how they came there. He was 
greatly angered and punished Prometheus by hurl- 
ing a mountain upon him. 

For many years Prometheus lay under the moun- 
tain, and perhaps even Zeus may have regretted his 
hasty action for, at last, wishing to know if Prome- 
theus were dead, he lifted the mountain from him. 
Prometheus not only was alive, but expressed no 
regret at having taken the fire from Olympus. 

Zeus now decided to treat Prometheus with at 
least the appearance of gentleness. He ordered 
his most cunning workman, Hephaestus, to make 
the most beautiful human form he could imagine 
and bring it to Olympus. When this was done 
Zeus gave her life, and each of the great ones gave 
her his choicest gift, whereby she received beauty, 

i8 



PROMETHEUS 

wisdom, grace of manner, gentleness of speech, cun- 
ning, and other remarkable qualities. Thus she 
became the beautiful, all-gifted Pandora. Zeus 
then told Hermes, his messenger, to take her, to- 
gether with a box that she was not to open without 
permission, as a present to Prometheus. 

Prometheus may well have been charmed by such 
a gift, but when he was told from whom Pandora 
came he had too much forethought to accept the 
present, as he believed that it meant trouble for 
him. 

When Hermes reported that Prometheus had re- 
fused his beautiful present, Zeus was angrier than 
ever. Again he called Hephaestus and commanded 
him to forge chains that could not be broken and 
bind Prometheus to a great rock in the Caucasus 
Mountains, there to remain until he should repent 
of his disobedience. Hephaestus loved the great- 
hearted Prometheus, but dared not disobey the com- 
mands of the powerful Zeus. A vulture was sent 
each day to tear, with his sharp beak and claws, the 
flesh of the uncomplaining victim. 

Some of the Greek story-tellers say, that while 
Prometheus w^as thus chained to a rock and could 
not bestow his kindly care on men, they became 
very wicked. No man regarded the rights of his 
neighbor, and most selfish and cruel things were 
constantly done, until Zeus in his anger declared 
that all people should be destroyed. So he sent a 

19 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

great rain upon the earth that filled all the valleys 
and covered all the mountains of Greece, and all the 
people were drowned except Deucalion, a son of 
Prometheus, and his wife, Pyrrha, a daughter of 
Epimetheus and Pandora. They were saved in a 
boat which they had built by the advice of Prome- 
theus. 

The boat stranded on a mountain top and after 
the flood had subsided they started down the moun- 
tain side. They felt very lonely and began to 
wonder what they should do for company, when 
there appeared a most beautiful person with a very 
good-natured face and twinkling eyes, wearing a 
strange winged cap on his head and wings on his 
heels, who said to them, " As you go down the 
mountain, throw the bones of your mother over 
your shoulder." 

It is not strange that they should fail to under- 
stand such an absurd command, but when they 
turned to ask what was meant, he was gone. They 
thought for some time and finally remembered that 
they had once heard the earth called their mother. 
If she were, why might not the stones be called 
her bones ? Therefore, as they went down the 
mountain they picked up stones and threw them 
over their shoulders, and when they looked back, 
behold ! the stones thrown by Deucalion had be- 
come strong men, and those thrown by Pyrrha, 
beautiful women. All these men and women were 



20 



PROMETHEUS 

anxious to serve the two people who had been saved 
from the flood. 

Thus was the world re-peopled. One of the sons 
of this pair was called Hellen, and all the people 
were named from him, Hellenes. These were the 
people wdiom we now call Greeks. 

In the meantime, scorching suns and biting frosts 
followed each other until years had passed, yet 
Prometheus, chained to the great- rock in the 
mountains, endured all with a quiet patience, know- 
ing full well that unselfish kindness can never die, 
and also that, in due time, there w^ould come for 
him, from the children of men, a great and noble- 
hearted one w^ho would break his chains and end 
his sufferings. 

And so it came about that in good time the power- 
ful hero, Heracles, bent upon great deeds, passed 
through the Caucasus Mountains and saw the great 
forethinker, chained and suffering. He heard the 
story, and the sympathy and indignation it awakened 
gave strength to his arm. He broke the chains, and 
the unbound Prometheus went to the mighty Zeus 
who was both great enough and just enough to 
admit that concerning men he had been wrong, and 
had treated Prometheus too harshly. So, again, 
these two great ones of Olympus were at peace. 

The people of Greece, especially those at Athens, 
felt great love for Prometheus and built a temple 
at Athens for his worship. Near that temple, they 

21 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

constructed a course where races were run in his 
honor. The prize, however, was not given for 
fleetness alone, but for thoughtful care as well. 
Each contestant was required to carry a lighted 
torch, and he who first reached the goal with his 
torch still burning was the winner. 



:^ ^ ^^ :%J. 




^' .1' 






22 



IV 

PANDORA AND ,EPIMETHEUS 

In the story of Prometheus we have learned how 
and why Pandora was created and what a divinely 
gifted woman she was, and also that with her went 
a curiously beautiful box. When Prometheus 
refused to receive Pandora and the box, Zeus may 
have thought it would be some punishment to 
Prometheus to plague his thoughtless brother, Epi- 
metheus; at any rate, the same presents were 
offered to Epimetheus and he, quite forgetful of 
the cautions of his brother, gladly accepted them. 

Like many other newly made homes, everything 
went happily for some time, and might have con- 
tinued so, had it not been for that troublesome box. 
The happy couple had been told by Hermes not to 
open it without permission; but as time passed. 
Pandora became more and more eager to know 
what was in it. 

One day, while Epimetheus was away and Pan- 
dora had nothing to do, she sat down by the box, 
perhaps to look at the beautiful pictures on its top. 
This seemed a very innocent thing to do, but soon 
her fingers began playing with the magically bright 
cord that fastened it. In some way that even 

25 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

Pandora never could explain, it came untied. This 
frightened her very much at first, and she at once 
set about trying to tie it again as it was before. 
Her anxiety increased when she found that this was 
not an easy matter. Perhaps she was nervous and 
excited, as others might have been in her place. 
Whatever the cause, she could not fasten it, and 
soon began wondering what would happen if she 
were to take just one peep into the box. 

While Pandora sat thinking it all over, with the 
box beside her and her fingers toying with the 
edge of the lid, Epimetheus returned and stood in 
the doorway. He saw the untied cord by the 
box, and it was easy enough to guess what was in 
Pandora's mind. He should have warned her of 
her danger at once. But he neglected to do so. 
Perhaps he knew it would do no good, but we more 
than suspect that he himself had a secret wish to 
know what was in the box, and that he was trying 
to persuade himself that he could not be blamed 
in any way if Pandora opened it, though he were 
silently looking on. 

Whatever his thoughts may have been, he soon 
had enough to do. Though Pandora's fingers 
raised the lid but the least trifle, there flew out a 
swarm of wicked insects, each with a sharp sting in 
its tail. They stung both Pandora and Epimetheus 
until they cried out in agony. The shock of the 
first pain must have been hard to bear, but the 

24 



PANDORA AND EPIMETHEUS 

sharpness of each sting was made keener by 
rememberino- that the trouble was entirely of their 
own making. 

It is not surprising that, for a time, they were 
excited. Before they had recovered from their sur- 
prise they were again astonished to hear a gentle 
tap on the under side of the lid of the box. They 
stopped their outcry and looked in the direction of 
the sound. Again they heard it, and immediately 
came the words, spoken in the sweetest of tones, 
" Let me out." 

Poor Pandora could think only of the mischief 
she had already caused by raising that lid ever so 
little. But the voice from the box went on plead- 
ing, " Please let me out. I am Hope, and I will 
heal and never wound you." 

Almost without knowing it. Pandora's fingers 
again raised the lid of that curious box, and out 
stepped one of the most beautiful beings the world 
has ever seen. Her dress seemed made of materials 
as delicate and fleecy as the fringe of a sunset cloud, 
and her wings seemed tinged by all the beautiful 
hues of the rainbow. Her face had the tender 
sweetness of a mother's, and her eyes glowed with 
the warmth of mellow sunshine. 

Again she spoke : " Let my fingers but touch the 
wounds made by sickness, disappointment and sor- 
row, and the pain will lessen, disappointment and 
sorrow will be changed to the strength that comes 

25 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

of patience and that finally brings peace. Wherever 
you may be or whatever your need, call me, and I 
will be with you. I come from the Immortals." 

Pandora and Epimetheus could smile again, and 
their happiness had a new meaning. They were 
much comforted, and never, in the years that fol- 
lowed, did they forget the promise of Hope, which 
they found her ever ready to redeem. 



THE STATUE OF HOPE 

By BeTtel Thorvaldsen ( i-jyo-i844) 

For many hundred years, Greek children listened 
with delight to the tale of the charming Pandora 
who came to earth bringing with her a very mys- 
terious box. Thousands of children since those 
days have been delighted by the same story and 
many more in the years to be will doubtless listen 
to it with equal pleasure. 

Not children alone, but men and women, as well, 
have been charmed by the story. Artists, especially, 
have endeavored to give us their idea of Hope ; 
but none, either in the old Greek days or in later 
times, has succeeded in this better than the Danish 
sculptor, Thorvaldsen. 

His father lived for years in Iceland, but at last 
becoming tired of the cold climate of the island, he 
removed to the milder one of Copenhagen. There 

26 




Hope — Thorvaldsoi 



PANDORA AND EPIMETHEUS 

he learned the art of wood-carving, and there his 
son Bertel was born. 

Before Bertel was ten years old he had learned 
to help his father at wood-carving. When he was 
eleven he was placed in the art school of Copen 
hagen. When he was twenty-two he had won the 
highest prize, which entitled him to the right to 
travel and have his expenses paid by the school. 
He soon went to Italy, where lived Can ova, at that 
time one of the greatest sculptors since the days of 
ancient Greek art. 

Thorvaldsen at once began to feel the inspiration 
of Greek myths and hero tales. The first work of 
any importance that he did in Rome was to model 
in clay a statue of Jason, which was immediately 
ordered in marble by a wealthy Englishman. This 
so pleased all who saw it that other orders followed 
and his success as an artist was certain. 

Rome had much Greek art, or copies of Greek 
art, and to the study of this Thorvaldsen gave a 
great part of his time. He soon came to feel that 
to produce statues like those of the Greeks would 
best satisfy his ambition, and with this purpose he 
continued to live and work in Rome for twenty- 
three years. 

On his return to Copenhagen he was met out- 
side the harbor by a boat loaded with his special 
friends and the officers of the city who conducted him 
to his home, where he was given a most enthusiastic 

27 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

welcome. He was at once commissioned to produce 
statues of Christ and his twelve Apostles for the 
Vor-Frue-Kirke (Church of our Lady) in Copen- 
hagen. He made other pieces of sculpture for this 
church, which now ranks very high in the number 
and character of its statuary. 

Some of Thorvaldsen's statues and bas-reliefs are 
frequently copied in plaster. All have doubtless 
seen his " Night " and " Morning." The picture 
here shown is of his statue of Hope, one of the 
most beautiful and delicate of his works. No place 
in life can be so dark that its shadows will not flee 
at the approach of one so sweet and graceful as that 
here shown carrying the torch of hope. 




28 



THE FOREST OF DODONA 

We have seen how Zeus became chief of the gods, 
and also that, after a time, he became the friend of 
men and of Prometheus, their creator. So great was 
the friendship that the people called him " Father of 
gods and menr While they thought his face was 
stern, they still believed it kind ; though his dwell- 
ing-place was far away, they believed he sympa- 
thized with them in their joys and their sorrows; 
w^as pleased with thanks and gifts offered him, and 
that he was ever ready, when asked, to direct them 
by his wisdom. So the people set apart certain 
places where they could approach the great Zeus. 
At such places, which were held sacred, temples 
and altars were built for the worship of the god, 
and statues of him were often placed there. 

The most noted of these sacred places in early 
days was in the great forest of Dodona, in Epirus. 
This place was selected in the following interesting 
manner: From a temple in Thebes, Egypt, there 
were set free two white doves. Guided bv the will 
of Zeus, one flew to an oasis in the great desert of 
Africa where, years before, Zeus had caused a spring 
of cold water to gush forth to slake the thirst of the 

29 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

god Dionysus. At this place was afterward built a 
great temple, called the Temple of Jupiter Ammon. 

The other dove flew to the forest of Dodona, 
where, in an opening surrounded by a grove of oak- 
trees, a simple altar of stones was built by Deucalion, 
the son of Prometheus. One of the oaks in this 
grove, by the way it waved its branches and rustled 
its leaves, spoke the words of the god to his children, 
and was known as the Sacred Talking Oak. Here 
came many Greeks to worship Zeus and to be 
guided out of their troubles by the wisdom spoken 
by this tree. 

In later years, a most beautiful and noted temple 
was built for the worship of Zeus in Olympia, in the 
country of Elis. In this temple was placed the 
remarkable statue of Zeus described on page 8. 




30 



VI 

BAUCIS AND PHILEMON 

Not only when men prayed to him was Zeus in- 
terested in their welfare, but of his own desire he 
cared for them and showed them both kindness 
and justice. This is well illustrated by the story 
of his visit to a village in Phrygia, in Asia Minor. 

He called Hermes, his messenger, one day, and 
said to him, " I wish to see how men live w^hen they 
think themselves quite alone. I wish to know if 
each one thinks only of himself or if he also regards 
the rights and happiness of his neighbors. How 
may we best disguise ourselves and go among men 
and learn these things for ourselves ? " 

Quickly Hermes replied, " Let us go as poor, 
tired travelers. If the people show kindness and 
justice to us, we may be sure they will do so to 
others at all times." 

And thus it was that they visited a little village 
and Hermes, stopping at the first door, said, " We 
are two weary travelers and need rest and food and 
drink. May we have them here ? " 

The door opened but a little way and the master 
of the house answered, " There are sick people in 
the house and we have no room. Why should we 

31 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

be troubled with strangers anyway ? They must 
care for themselves." And the door shut sharply. 

At the next house Hermes repeated his request, 
and the one who opened the door said, impatiently, 
" We are preparing for a banquet this evening and 
have neither time nor place for strangers. Go to 
the next house," 

At the next door they were told, " We have flax 
to spin and weave, clothing to make, and no food to 
waste on beggars." At every door they were given 
some untruthful or selfish answer. In the mean- 
time, the children of the street had been following 
them and calling them " worthless fellows," " lazy 
vagabonds," and " dirty beggars," and pelting them 
with stones and mud from the street. 

When the last house in the village had been 
visited, Zeus was angry and said to Hermes, " Shall 
I destroy them all ? " 

Hermes, looking toward the top of the hill by 
the village, replied, " There is still one house yonder 
where we have not called. Let us go there." They 
started up the hill just as the sun was about to set. 

In this very small house on the hill lived an old 
couple whose names were Baucis and Philemon. 
They were sitting by their door looking at the 
glory of the clouds and the sky, and thinking of 
another evening many years gone by when they 
first sat there together, and of the hopes that then 
filled their thoughts, hopes as rosy as the sky was 

32 



BAUCIS AND PHILEMON 

now, and Philemon said aloud, " Have those hopes 
come true ? " 

And the sweet-hearted Baucis replied, " Yes, love 
has more than fulfilled them." 

What more they might have said we do not know, 
for just then Baucis saw the two strangers. " See 
those two travelers, Philemon," she said. " They are 
large and powerful men, yet their walk tells me they 
are weary and doubtless in need of food and drink 
and rest. You meet and welcome them while I pre- 
pare the best we have." 

Philemon went forward to greet them and when 
he arrived at the door with his guests Baucis was 
there to repeat by looks and words the welcome 
her husband had already given them. 

" You must be hungry," she said, " come in. You 
are more than welcome to what we have." 

And the four sat down to the plainest little table, 
on which was some black bread, honey, grapes, and 
a small quantity of milk in a pitcher. There seemed 
to be no lack of refreshment, however, for the guests. 
All sternness had disappeared from the face of Zeus, 
and in the eyes of Hermes was a twinkle merrier 
than usual as he held up his empty cup and said, 
" That milk is most excellent. May I have my cup 
refilled ? " 

Then Baucis was embarrassed, but she was also 
honest and said, " I grieve that my pitcher is empty." 

But Hermes replied, in a kindly and encouraging 

33 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

tone, " I think there may be more. Will you please 
try it?" And to the utter surprise of Baucis, she 
was able to fill his cup. 

Then Zeus held up his cup and asked to have it 
refilled, remarking, very genially, " You thought it 
was empty when you wished to refill my companion's 
cup, and yet you were mistaken. Perhaps you are 
again mistaken." And so it proved, for she was 
able to fill his cup a second time. But there were 
new and strange thoughts in her mind as she looked 
at her guests. She looked at Philemon also, and 
knew that he shared her thoughts. 

When the meal was over the two travelers were 
persuaded to rest in the only bed in the little hut, 
and slept as well, perhaps, as they might have done 
on the downy beds of Olympus, while Baucis and 
Philemon lay with equal satisfaction on the dirt floor 
of their cottage. 

In the morning the travelers were again given 
the best that the cottage could furnish, and they 
started toward the top of the hill, Baucis and Phile- 
mon with them. As they were about to bid good- 
bye to their guests, Zeus turned to the old couple 
and asked, "Is there any wish that you would be 
especially pleased to have granted ? " 

The two old people looked at each other, and 
each read without words what was in the other's 
heart, and Philemon replied, " For many years we 
have lived happily together in the pure air and bright 

34 



BAUCIS AND PHILEMON 

sunshine of this hill, but now our years are few; 
may we go hence together ? " 

The delighted surprise on the face of Zeus at the 
beautiful simplicity of these old people made him 
seem the "father" of men, indeed, and was the best 
possible assurance that their wish would be granted. 

As they turned to go back to their hut, Baucis 
noticed that there was a lake instead of a village in 
the valley. She looked enquiringly at Zeus. 

" Yes," he said, " we are gods from Olympus, and 
came to earth as travelers to learn how men really 
live. We asked for rest and refreshment at every 
house in the village and all refused, and I have de- 
stroyed the people. People so heartless are fit to 
live only as cold-blooded fish, and you will find them 
in the water of yonder lake." 

When Zeus stopped speaking a fresh surprise 
awaited Baucis and Philemon. Their little hut was 
gone, and in its place stood a beautiful marble man- 
sion. " Doubtless you are surprised," said Zeus, 
" but that mansion is yours, built by your own 
thoughts and deeds during all these years. Live in 
it until you are called to a better land." 

So they did, and when they died the mansion 
went with them, but there stood in its place a 
linden and an oak tree with whispering leaves and 
intertwining branches, saying, " We are to remind 
all passers-by of the beauty of such lives as those of 
Baucis and Philemon." 

35 



VII 

ATHENE 

Not only did Zeus care for men, treating them with 
justice and kindness, but it was believed that he 
understood the difficulties that troubled them in 
carrying on their work in the world, and that he 
was willing to help them. He knew how men 
should plant and harvest their grain, raise their 
fruits, care for their cattle and sheep ; how the house- 
wives should order their work, wash their wool and 
spin and weave it into the finest cloth of the most 
beautiful patterns. He could teach how to plan 
battles if war became necessary. But people thought 
it would not be possible for him, personally, to do 
all things, and that there must be other gods and 
goddesses to help him. 

One of the most helpful of these goddesses was 
Athene. She was very wise in planning what was 
best to do and was also very skilful in doing the 
things planned. She taught farmers how to sow 
and reap, how to care for their sheep, goats, swine, 
and cattle, and she even taught the soldiers how to 
use their weapons when they went to war, and pun- 
ished all men when they acted rashly and without 
forethought. 

36 



ATHENE 

These things alone must have kept her very 
busy. Yet she found time to teach women how to 
be skilful in spinning, weaving, and in needle-work. 
She herself was so skilful that she wove her own 
robe, besides a most beautiful one for Hera. Sculp- 
tors and painters received from her their artistic 
touch, but more than all, she taught both men and 
women to be always self-possessed and to think out 
and invent new and better ways of doing things. 
It is not strange that, knowing so much, she should 
be called the goddess of wisdom and invention. 
Any one who has ever seen an owl will not need to 
be told why that bird was thought to be the favorite 
of Athene. 

How this goddess was supposed to have come into 
the world is both strange and interesting. Zeus 
wished her to teach men wisdom and the useful 
arts, and he thought it best that she should not 
possess the love and tenderness that characterize 
most women, for fear that she might neglect her 
sterner duties. Hence, he decided that he would 
create her without a mother, giving to her his own 
wisdom, but none of the tenderness of a mother's 
love. Direct from the head of Zeus she came, with 
weapons in her hands, and covered from head to 
foot with brilHant armor. Helios, the charioteer of 
the sun, was so dazzled by its glitter when she first 
appeared that he was forced to stop his horses in 
their course until the armor was removed. 

37 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

When prepared for war, Athene wore a shining 
helmet topped with a lofty, nodding plume, carrying 
her great spear in her right hand and her shield 
with her left. The first shield was made from the 
skin of the goat Amalthea, and had in its center 
the head of the gorgon Medusa, which turned to 
stone all who looked upon it. But later, she had a 
shield of brass made by Hephaestus, with the same 
head in the centre. She had a breastplate of brass 
with a gorgon's head in the center, and wore a robe 
clasped over her left shoulder by a brooch that also 
had carved upon it the gorgon's head. This shield 
is called the aegis, or protector, and gave safety to 
the wearer. The aegis in some form was frequently 
placed over the gateway of a city or over the door- 
way of a house. 

THE STATUE OF ATHENE 

We have learned how Athene became the favor- 
ite goddess of Athens, and also, that once in four 
years all the people of the city joined in a great 
religious festival that ended in a grand procession 
in her honor. We have read, too, of the beauty of 
her temple, the Parthenon, in the east room of 
which was placed her statue, made of ivory and 
gold carved by Pheidias, the greatest sculptor that 
ever lived. But that statue has long since dis- 
appeared and so has nearly all the art created by 

38 




Athene — (Vatican, Rome) 



ATHENE 

that same great sculptor. That is why a fairly 
good copy of a statue by Pheidias is so highly 
prized, and even these copies are very few. 

About three hundred years ago an art-loving 
Italian gentleman by the name of Vincenzo Guis- 
tiniani came into possession of a statue of Athene 
which possessed exceptional beauty and which bore 
indications of having been the work of Pheidias. 
This statue has consequently been preserved most 
carefully, and is now in the Vatican gallery in 
Rome. 

The strength and courage of a warrior are shown 
by the expression of the face of the goddess and by 
her attitude. She carries a spear in her right hand, 
and wears a helmet on her head. The serpent at 
her feet is the symbol of her wisdom, while the aegis 
on her breast, with the head of the terrible Medusa 
on it, makes it impossible for her to be overthrown 
or conquered even by a god from Olympus. Zeus 
himself has been known to borrow her aegis in order 
to make sure of victory in some terrible struggle. 
Taken altogether this is one of the most satisfac- 
tory statues of Athene in the world today 



39 



VIII 

CONTEST BETWEEN POSEIDON AND 
ATHENE 

In early days wild beasts were very many and very 
fierce, and men were sometimes as wild and fierce 
as the animals ; hence it was necessary for people 
to build their homes in the safest places and guard 
them with the greatest care. A high hill with very 
steep sides was one of the best places that could 
be found. A hill of this kind, like that at Athens, 
the Greeks called an acropolis, and many of their 
cities were built on similar rocky elevations. 

One day a stranger came to one of these cities 
where the people were very poor and ignorant, 
living mostly in shabby little huts, or even in holes 
dug in the hillsides. The stranger did not speak 
their language, and so had much trouble in making 
them understand that he had been shipwrecked and 
needed food. This they gave him, and he soon 
taught them many things that helped them to Hve 
more comfortably. The people came to trust him, 
and finally made him their king. This man's name 
was Cecrops. 

As his people learned to build better houses, they 
learned also to guard their hill city more carefully, 

40 



CONTEST BETWEEN POSEIDON AND ATHENE 

so it was with great surprise that, one day, they saw 
two stranorers in their citv. The o^uard of their 
only gateway had not seen them enter nor could 
he give any account of them. 

One of them, a powerful man wearing a sea-green 
mantle and carrying a great three-pointed spear, said 
to the people, " I am Poseidon, and wish you to take 
me for your chief god. Let me give a name to your 
city, and in return I will bring you wealth, especially 
by trade on the sea. I will give you also one gift 
in addition, more valuable than any other that can 
be named." But the people were silent. 

Then the other stranger, a woman, spoke to them. 
She wore a beautiful robe, which was held by a 
peculiar brooch on the left shoulder, and carried in 
her right hand a heavy spear, and on her left hand 
an owl. " I am Athene," she said. " If you will 
permit me to name your city and let my temple be 
most loved, I will give you wisdom, skill in thQ 
work of your hands, and one other gift more valu- 
able than anything else that can be named." 

Still the people did not know what answer to 
make, and both Poseidon and Athene proposed that 
the other gods should be consulted. This so pleased 
the people that a day was appointed for a hearing. 

When the time arrived there came to the city, 
Zeus and his queen, with Poseidon, Athene, Eros, 
the god of the silver bow, his twin sister, and 
the others of the twelve great ones of Olympus, a 

41 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

majestic assemblage of the Shining Ones. The 
people wished to know the special gift of Poseidon, 
and he stood up in his power, and with his great 
trident smote the rock a mighty blow that split 
it, and there gushed up a spring of salt water. 
Then came forth a wondrously beautiful animal, 
with a strong, graceful body, and with slender, clean- 
cut limbs. It moved about with arching neck and a 
prancing, playful gait. 

" That," said Poseidon, " is a horse, and he will 
draw your chariot in war and carry you with the 
speed of the wind at all times wherever you wish 
to go." 

As the horse came back to receive the caress 
of his maker, some of the people cried, " Let it be 
as Poseidon wishes," but others said, " Let us hear 
Athene." 

Then Athene, with a smile on her lips, a won- 
drous light in her blue eyes, stepped forth and 
dropped a seed into the earth while all watched 
intently. Soon there sprang up a little plant which 
grew so rapidly that it became a tree while the 
people looked, and flowers came forth and fruit 
ripened. " That," said the goddess, " is an olive- 
tree and its fruit will be a blessing to men always." 

Then the people cried out their assent and the 
nod of Zeus and the other great ones confirmed it. 
The city was named Athens and the temple of 
Athene became the chief one in the city. It has 

42 



CONTEST -BETWEEN POSEIDON AND ATHENE 

been said that all the horses and all the olive-trees 
in the world came from these two creations. 

In the course of years men became more gentle 
towards one another and learned to obey the laws. 
They found it safe to live on the plain at the foot 
of the hill, while the city grew large and beautiful. 
Then, only temples were built on the Acropolis and 
they were more beautiful than any others that have 
ever been made. 

The people of Athens never forgot their promise 
to consider Athene with special favor. Erechtheus, 
one of the early kings of Athens, established a 
public festival in her honor. This was called the 
Athenaea. Years after, Theseus became king and 
gathered all the people near Athens under his con- 
trol. Once in four years all united in the festival 
in honor of Athene. Even the prisoners were set 
free that they might take part in it. The name 
was changed by putting the word pan, meaning all, 
before the old name, and the Panathenaea became 
the great festival of Attica, which was attended by 
people from all over Greece. 

Besides foot-races and athletic contests, contests 
in music and in the reading of Homer's poems, 
there were races with lighted torches, as in the 
worship of Prometheus. The festival closed wath a 
grand and solemn procession, at the head of which 
was carried a beautiful robe, called the peplos, 
made by especially chosen Athenian maidens and 

43 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

embroidered with battle-scenes from the war of Zeus 
with Kronos. The robe was to be placed on the 
statue of Athene that stood in the eastern part of 
the Erechtheion. But to understand this we must 
first look at the plan of the Acropolis below. 

This hill was about 1 50 feet high and the sides 
were almost perpendicular, except on the west. It 




PLAN OF THE ACROPOLIS 

1. GATE KNOWt^J AS THAT OF BEUtE 
a. TEMPLE OF NIKE APTCfiOS 5. PARTHENON 

3. THE PROFYL^tA €. BRONZE: STATUE OF ATHENE 

4. LINE OF MARCH V. ERECHTHE,10N 



was nearly level on top, and measured about i,ooo 
feet from east to west and about 500 feet from 
north to south, enclosed with a massive wall. On a 
clear midsummer's day let us join the procession 
as it winds through the narrow streets of the most 
cultured city of the ancient world. It is moving 
west along one of the streets of the city, and turns 
first north and then east in order to pass up the 



44 



CONTEST BETWEEN POSEIDON AND ATHENE 

beautiful white marble steps, seventy feet in breadth, 
at the west end of the Acropolis. 

We see ahead of us the bright colors of the 
peplos raised like a sail above the heads of the sober 
throng. It has already reached the top of the steps 
and is about to pass the entrance w^ay, a portico 
called the propylaea. This is sixty feet wide, sup- 
ported by six marble columns four and one-half 
feet in diameter and thirty feet high, with a wing 
on either side, also supported by marble columns, 
making the entire width 158 feet. The walls of the 
north wing are covered with paintings, while the 
south wing is an open porch. The mouldings of 
the entire entrance are delicately touched with 
tints of red and blue. 

In front of the south wing is one of the smallest 
and most beautiful of Greek temples, built to honor 
a general, Cimon, for a great victory over the Per- 
sians. It is called the Temple of Nike, or the 
Wingless Victory. 

The peplos has already passed through the middle 
of one of five great bronze doors in the propylaea, 
and we will follow. Directly in front of us stands 
a bronze statue of Athene as she w^ould appear in 
battle. Her spear point is seventy feet above us, 
and the glitter of her helmet makes Greek sailors 
feel safe as they look at it when they are many 
miles out at sea. 

The white marble building at the right, standing 

45 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

near the south side of the Acropohs, is the Temple 
of the Maiden Goddess, and is called the Parthenon. 
It is 228 feet long and 10 1 feet wide, and its roof is 
supported by forty-six marble columns, each 6 feet 
2 inches in diameter at the base, and 34 feet high. 
These columns extend entirely around the building, 
thus leaving an open space between them and the 
enclosed part, called the cella. On the east end, 
above the columns, we see that the triangular space, 
or pediment, encloses marble figures that illustrate 
the story of the remarkable birth of Athene, while 
the pediment at the west end encloses the sculp- 
tured figures of the twelve great gods of Olympus 
sitting to decide whether Athene or Poseidon shall 
be most honored at Athens. These figures are now 
in ruins, but such mutilated fragments as remain 
are highly prized by art authorities. Plaster casts 
of them are m^ade, and placed in museums through- 
out the world to be studied as models of beauty 
and skill in rendering. 

At the top of the cella wall an exquisitely carved 
border, or frieze, extends around the four sides. 
When we look at this frieze it seems as if the pro- 
cession of which we are now a part had been turned 
to stone, for it is the story the artists have carved 
there, making a line of marble pictures over five 
hundred feet long. 

The cella is divided into two rooms, with one 
door at the west and another at the east. The 

46 



CONTEST BETWEEN POSEIDON AND ATHENE 

western room, forty -three feet long, is for storing 
the gold, silver, and precious stones brought to the 
temple ; it is the treasure-house of the temple ; while 
in the eastern room, ninety-eight feet long, is the 
wonder of the building, a statue of Athene, made of 
ivory and gold, and about forty feet high. One 
might expect to see the beautiful robe that has been 
carried at the head of the procession placed on this 
statue, but not so. We follow farther, to a temple 
on the northern edge of the hill. 

This temple is considerably smaller than the 
Parthenon and, under it, is said to have been buried 
good old King Erechtheus, who founded this festival. 
This temple is named from this king, the Erech- 
theion. In the western chamber of the cella of this 
temple is the salt spring produced by the terrible 
blow of Poseidon's trident in his contest with 
Athene, and it is said that the marks of the trident 
still show on the rocks. Here, also, is the sacred 
olive-tree which Athene caused to grow on that 
same interesting occasion. 

The eastern room of the cella contains a very 
old statue of Athene, made of olive-wood, and is 
about four feet high. This statue, it is said, was 
let down from heaven to one of the princes of Troy, 
and he was told that it should be very carefully 
guarded, for, if it were lost, Troy would lose its 
liberty. When the Greeks had besieged Troy for 
ten years, they were told that the city would never 

47 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

be taken while it had this sacred statue, which was 
called the Palladium, the protector of their liberty. 
By great cunning, Ulysses got possession of it and 
soon after the Greeks captured Troy and brought 
the statue to Athens. 

Before this statue a golden lamp was kept burn- 
ing day and night, fed with sacred olive-oil but 
once a year. On this crude wooden statue, more 
loved than the one made of gold and ivory in the 
Parthenon, was placed, with the utmost care, the 
beautifully embroidered robe. 

THE PARTHENON RESTORED 

We have already learned the story of the found- 
ing of the city of Athens on its highest hill, called 
the Acropolis, and know that, when it became safe 
to do so, the people built homes down on the plain 
by the foot of the hill. To climb a hill one hundred 
and fifty feet high several times a day was no small 
task, hence it was much easier to live on the plain. 
On the Acropolis was then built a fort and also a 
temple to Athene, both of which were destroyed by 
the Persians when they captured the city, in 480 
B. c. About a year later, the Persians were de- 
feated and driven out of Greece and the Athenians 
were left in peace for many years. 

During this time they became very rich and 
spent a great deal of their wealth in making their 

48 









1 






1 




1 


i , — - .jM 




^^p 








- ^ 


^1 


■ 


^""^BB^ 


f«l 


hMIH 


.1 


1 


I;' 

1 ' ''^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 


1 


i^^Sf £^^^^^^^^1 


■ 


I^^^VBl 








r 


..3 


I * 'iR^^MI 


f 1 ^ 




1 


■ ^ 


% 1' 







CONTEST BETWEEN POSEIDON AND ATHENE 

city beautiful. The buildings they constructed and 
the statues that they placed about the city were the 
finest that the world has ever known, and the most 
wonderful of all were the temples and carvings 
upon the Acropolis. At the western end of the 
Acropolis was built the propylaea already men- 
tioned. At the north side was a temple built 
above the grave of their old king Erechtheus and 
called the Erechtheion, and near the southern edge, 
on the site of the old temple of Athene destroyed 
by the Persians, they built a much larger and more 
beautiful temple to the same goddess and named it 
the Parthenon. 

The Parthenon was designed by the architect 
Ictinus, and was built on the highest point of the 
Acropolis. It was constructed entirely of white 
marble, and although severely plain, it was of the 
most perfect proportions. Its length, width and 
height were most carefully estin ated, even to the 
proportions of the columns. Yet all this beauty of 
material and proportion did not satisfy the high 
standard of the Greeks. These slabs and columns 
of marble must be given life by the chisel of the 
sculptor and the brush of the painter. Pheidias 
and his helpers did this so successfully that it has 
been the wonder and admiration of the world ever 
since. 

The Parthenon was ruined many years ago, 
but descriptions enable us to reproduce it . with 

49 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

reasonable accuracy. Our picture shows the eastern 
end of the building. 

RUINS OF THE PARTHENON 

A little more than a hundred years after the 
Parthenon was completed Athens fell under the 
rule of Alexander, the young king of Macedon. 
He died a few years later and his successor in 
Greece appointed a vain and evil-minded governor 
for Athens who was permitted to make a part of 
this temple his residence, thus beginning to mar the 
building as well as to dishonor the goddess by living 
a life of shame in her temple. This man was fol- 
lowed by a governor whose conduct was such that 
the people of Athens rose against him and forced 
him to flee. With him he took some of the gold 
and ivory which had been a part of the statue of 
Athene. 

A hundred and fifty years later Rome became 
the ruler of Athens and for many years the Par- 
thenon remained uninjured. About the year four 
hundred the city fell into the hands of the Goths, a 
half-civilized people, led by their chief, Alaric. The 
city was plundered, but the splendor of the temples 
on the Acropolis so impressed Alaric, and espe- 
cially the great bronze statue of Athene so awed 
him, that he left them untouched. 

Athens was ruled by several different peoples 

50 



CONTEST BETWEEN POSEIDON AND ATHENE 

during the centuries that followed, but the Parthe- 
non was not seriously injured until it fell into the 
hands of the Turks. In the last part of the seven- 
teenth century, the Turks in Athens were attacked 
by the people of Venice, who bombarded the temple, 
which was then used as a fort. The Turks had a 
quantity of powder stored in the building and at 
last a bomb-shell broke through the roof and ex- 
ploded the powder. This explosion wrecked the 
Parthenon. The Turks succeeded in holding the 
city and later used some of the beautiful carved 
marbles to build huts for their people, or burned 
them to make lime. About fifty years later. Lord 
Elgin, a Scotch nobleman, in the employ of Eng- 
land, by permission of the Sultan of Turkey gathered 
nearly all the marble slabs that once formed the 
frieze of the cella and took them to England, where 
they may be seen today in the British Museum in 
London. While little of the beauty of ancient days 
remains on the Acropolis, yet no place in Greece 
has greater interest for thoughtful people than that 
where can still be seen the ruins of that noble 
temple. 



51 



IX 

ARACHNE 

The people of Greece believed that Athene was 
their instructor and guide in the domestic arts, es- 
pecially in spinning and weaving, and that any one 
who did not acknowledge such guidance did wrong, 
and deserved, and would receive, the severest punish- 
ment. No myth better illustrates this than that of 
Arachne. 

Arachne grew up in a poor home, but she was 
industrious, and learned to dress and card wool skil- 
fully, and to make rolls for spinning that looked 
as white and fleecy as summer clouds. She could 
spin the finest and smoothest of threads and weave 
webs of cloth as gauzy as the web of a spider. 
She could arrange the different colors in her pat- 
terns until they mingled as delicately as those in 
the rainbow; and she learned to embroider the 
most beautiful pictures on her webs of cloth. 

One day, when she had finished the picture of 
a landscape in which were trees and flowers and 
grasses with a small stream winding among them, 
so skilfully was it done that when the wood-nymphs 
saw it they thought it real and came to bathe in the 
stream. Not only was her completed work beautiful, 

52 



ARACHNE 

but it was almost as great a pleasure to watch her 
ftngers throwing the shuttle or using the needle as 
it was to look at her finished pictures. 

All this might have given nothing but pleasure 
to every one had Arachne's mother been a sensible 
woman and had taught her daughter to be modest 
as w^ell as skilful. But she showed Arachne's work 
to all her visitors and boasted in a foolish way of 
its excellence. She said that she had learned to do 
it all without the aid of a teacher, and that she was, 
in fact, the most skilful person in weaving and em- 
broidering to be found anywhere. 

It is not strange that Arachne became very vain, 
and after a few years boasted quite as much as her 
silly mother. She camiC to have great contempt for 
other workers, even if they were very good ones, 
and was especially proud that no one had ever 
taught her, while others had received help. 

One day there came a very modest, quiet old lady 
with keen blue eyes that made most people fear 
her somewhat, although they could not help loving 
her, too. Arachne showed her work and boasted of 
it. The old lady admired it greatly and said, "It is 
indeed most beautiful. You must have been taught 
by Athene." 

" No," said Arachne, " I have learned to do it all 
by myself. I would scorn help ; in fact, there is no 
teacher wise enough to help me." 

The old lady replied, " But Athene is the goddess 

53 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

of wisdom and perhaps gave you the power to do 
such beautiful work in the first place and you had 
only to learn to use it." 

Arachne was angry at this and declared she had 
received no help from the goddess or any one else, 
and that there were no fingers so skilful as her 
own. The old lady still suggested that all should 
beware not to forget the gods. "Athene's fingers," 
she said, " may have been guiding your own quite 
unseen." 

" She has not the skill," said Arachne, boastfully. 

" What ! " said the old lady, " do you mean to 
challenge Athene to a comparison.?" and those blue 
eyes had a dangerous light in them. 

" I admit no one as my equal, Athene or any 
other," said Arachne, angrily. 

Then a change came over the old lady's face, and 
the old garment with which she had been wrapped 
dropped away from her and displayed a bronze 
helmet with a nodding plume, and a shining mantle 
fastened by a very peculiar clasp. Arachne knew 
that it was Athene herself who stood before her. 
Even then, if Arachne could have learned modesty 
and a proper regard for others, especially for the 
gods, the real kindness back of those blue eyes 
would have forgiven her. But instead, Arachne 
defied the goddess to produce work as beautiful as 
her own. So a contest was arranged. 

When the day for the trial of skill arrived, each 

54 



ARACHNE 

sat before her loom ready to begin. Arachne did 
not observe as she might have done, that her own 
loom in comparison with that of Athene was both 
clumsy and weak, while Athene's moved with skil- 
ful certainty and power. Still, Arachne's work was 
most delicate, and greatly admired even by the 
judges, but the scenes she wove showed still further 
her own irreverence and vanity, for she tried to 
picture what she thought were the weaknesses and 
follies of the gods, especially of Zeus. 

On the other hand, Athene wrought, in the most 
delicate tracery, the faces of Zeus and the other 
great ones of Olympus as they sat to decide the con- 
test of Poseidon and herself for the care of Athens. 
Each face was so perfect that one could easily fancy 
words coming from their lips. Perhaps they did 
speak words of wisdom to the ears of Arachne, for 
when she looked at her own work and at that of 
the goddess, no judges were needed to decide how 
shabby and poor was her own in the comparison. 
Her good sense and judgment told her at once of 
her own folly. She saw that for real use and 
strength, her work was like that of the spider, and 
to this creature she ever after compared herself. 

The blush of shame that came to her face 
gives hope that, although we hear nothing more of 
Arachne, she may have been wise enough to lay 
away the fee for old Charon to take her over the 
Styx to a wiser life in the Isles of the Blessed. 

55 



X 

HEPH^STUS 

No people ever learned how to live in a comfort- 
able way without the use of metals. Most nations 
used copper first, because of the ease of melting and 
working it. The tin and zinc ores were next em- 
ployed, as they also were easily melted and worked: 
The next step was to find how to melt copper with 
tin or with zinc and make a compound, brass or 
bronze, that was much harder than copper and from 
which very many useful articles could be made. 

All this preceded the use of iron, even in a 
country where iron ore was plentiful, because of the 
difficulty of making a furnace and other things neces- 
sary to work the metal. Many years would be re- 
quired to learn the use of bronze, and very many 
more would pass before a people learned how to 
make iron, and especially steel. This would occur, 
of course, in the early period of a nation's history 
before the people had learned to keep any written 
record of their own doings, so that it is quite impos- 
sible for us to know how many thousands of years it 
really took people to learn to use iron and steel. 

56 



HEPHiESTUS 

When this discovery was made they fully appre- 
ciated its value and thought it had been secured 
by the help of the gods. 

As the Greeks saw that furnaces discharge their 
smoke and fire through chimneys, it is not strange 
that Mt. Etna and volcanoes elsewhere were thought 
to be the chimneys for the workshops of the gods. 
The people regarded their knowledge . of metal 
working as a divine gift, and that for carrying on an 
industry so essential to their happiness there was 
needed the guidance of some one not less wise 
and far-seeing than a god. This god was called 
Hephaestus, and he was given an army of skilful 
workers as his helpers. In the picture he is called 
Vulcan, the name given him by the Romans. 

Some have said that, as Zeus alone created 
Athene, Hera, his queen, did not want to be outdone 
by him, and so she created Hephaestus. But the 
story generally believed was, that he was the son of 
Zeus and Hera, but was a sickly and deformed babe. 
This so angered his mother that she hurled him 
from her with such force that he fell from Olympus 
and continued falling during an entire day, finally 
landing on the island of Lemnos. Here, severely 
injured by his fall, he was found by a most powerful 
and kindly sea-nymph, Thetis, who secreted him in 
a cave and nursed him back to health and strength. 

As he grew in strength Hephaestus became as 
wise and skilful in his department as Athene was in 

57 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

hers. Zeus always remembered his son most kindly^ 
and when he saw his industry, his skill and in- 
genuity, he made him ruler of the kingdom of fire 
and of the metals. He was lame, one Hmb being 
shorter than the other, while both were weak, but 
his arms were powerful, and in shrewdness and keen- 
ness of mind he was a match for any of the gods. 

His w^ork had to be in the midst of smoke, soot 
and blackness, but so necessary did he become 
to the gods that he was permitted to have his palace 
on Olympus, where it stood as lasting and as beau- 
tiful as the stars. Besides this, he had a dwelling- 
place on the earth, in one part of which was his 
workshop, most ingeniously fitted with anvils, bel- 
lows and hammers. The bellows were so cunningly 
made that they worked by the will of their master, 
without the touch of his hand, so that the heat of 
his fire was great or small according to his desire. 

All the palaces of the gods were planned and 
constructed by Hephaestus. The brazen boat in 
which the sun-god with his horses and chariot rode 
from the land of sunset to that of the dawn was of 
his making. Even Zeus was compelled to go to 
him to forge a chain strong enough to bind Prome- 
theus. It was under his direction that the Cyclopes 
forged thunderbolts for Zeus. To him went Apollo 
and his twin sister, Artemis, for their arrows, and 
the lovely Eros (commonly called Cupid) was de- 
pendent on this god for his silvery shafts. 

58 



HEPH^STUS 

r 

Once the gods of Olympus in good-natured 
sport asked Hephcestus to serve as a waiter at one 
of their banquets, and he, with equal good nature, 
consented. This duty was usually performed by 
Ganymede, who was both swift and graceful. As 
was expected, the deformed weak legs made He- 
phaestus stumble about awkwardly and the gods 
laughed boisterously, Hephaestus joining in the 
merriment. His good nature gained him only 
greater love and respect. What wonder that the 
Greek people thought labor honorable when they 
believed that the making and decorating of cloth 
w^as taught them by the wise goddess Athene, and 
saw that the shrewd and good-natured Hephaestus 
was the master of cunning workmanship in metals ! 

Hephaestus did not forget Thetis who had so 
kindly cared for him after his fall from Olympus, 
and in due time he was able to show his gratitude. 
Thetis had a very remarkable son named Achilles. 
When this son grew to be a man, he became the 
greatest warrior of all the Greeks, but when the 
Trojans killed his dearest friend, Achilles could 
not avenge his death, as he had no armor to pro- 
tect him in battle. Then he called, " O Mother 
Thetis ! help me in my great need." 

Thetis appeared in answer to his call and/ com- 
forted him, saying, " I will try to furnish you with 
armor." She went at once to the workshop of 
Hephaestus. When he learned who had called he 

59 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

washed the grime from his face and neck and hands 
that he might appear becomingly before one so 
gentle and worthy. When he presented himself, 
Thetis said, " O kind Hephaestus ! my dearly loved 
son, Achilles, whom I have trained so carefully, 
and bathed in the river Styx in order that no 
weapon might harm him, is in great need. He is 
surrounded by his enemies, and his dearest friend 
has been killed by them, but he has no armor. 
Would you — " 

Hephaestus understood without waiting to hear 
her request, and replied, " He shall have the most 
beautiful and most trustworthy armor that my hands 
can make. I have not forgotten your kindness to 
me in my childhood." 

All night his fires glowed and his hammer rang 
on his anvil, and when dawn was just pushing aside 
her curtains to admit the radiant day, Hephaestus 
appeared before Thetis with a suit of armor and a 
shield that surpassed any others ever worn by 
mortal man. By their aid Achilles defeated his 
enemies. 

tlephsestus made the fire-breathing brass bulls 
with which Jason plowed the field of King ^etes; 
also the great brass giant Talos that walked daily 
three times around the Island of Crete to prevent 
the entrance of strangers. Hephsestus made also 
watch-dogs of gold and silver to guard the house of 
Alcinous ; for himself he made golden maidens with 

60 



HEPH^STUS 

the power of speech and motion, who waited upon 
him ; and for Heracles he made a shield. 

The beauty-loving Greeks must have seen some- 
thing very attractive in the life of this deforrned 
god, as they gave him the most lovely of all the 
goddesses, Aphrodite, for a wife. 

THE PICTURE OF HEPH^STUS AT HIS FORGE 

By Diego de Silva Velasquez ( isqg-ibbo) 

We have just learned from the story of. Hephaes- 
tus that this god was sickly and deformed when a 
babe, and that this so angered his mother, Hera, 
that she hurled him from her, and he at last fell 
upon the island of Lemnos and was cared for by 
the nymph Thetis. It seems strange that the only 
deformed one among all the gods of Olympus 
should become the husband of Aphrodite, the god- 
dess of beauty, but so it happened. 

The picture shows the busy god Hephaestus hard 
at work at his forge, surrounded by his helpers, the 
Cyclopes. Hermes, the messenger, has just arrived 
from Olympus with tidings concerning Aphrodite. 
Hephaestus looks up in great surprise and the help- 
ers cease their work for a moment and listen with 
attention. This picture hangs in the Madrid gallery 
with fifty others by the same artist, Velasquez. 

A little over three hundred years ago, there lived 
in the Spanish city of Seville a lawyer by the name 

6i 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

of Rodriquez de Silva and his wife who was from 
the old and aristocratic Velasquez family. Their 
son, the famous artist, was born in the year 1599, 
and because his mother was of noble blood he took 
her family name, Velasquez, instead of his father's 
name. 

He was carefully taught by his parents who hoped 
to have him become a lawyer or a priest. He began 
drawing pictures on things about his home very 
early, and his father and mother were wise enough 
to send him to a teacher of art. About a year later 
he was sent to another teacher by the name of 
Pacheco. Here he stayed five years. It is not 
likely that he had any great admiration for his 
teacher who was a pompous, vain old fellow. Per- 
haps the reason he remained so long was because 
he fell in love with his teacher's daughter, Juana, 
whom he married when he was but nineteen years old. 

During the next few years he heard frequently of 
great pictures in the gallery of Madrid and wanted 
very much to see them. Especially did he long to 
see those by the Italian artist, Titian. He resolved 
to go to Madrid. A friend gave him a letter to 
Fonseca, a courtier of the Spanish king, Philip IV. 
He stayed several months and not only studied 
the pictures of other artists but painted pictures 
himself. 

He did his work so well while there, that he had 
been back in Seville but a year when he received 

62 



HEPH^STUS 

an invitation from the prime minister of King 
Philip asking him to come to the court at Madrid. 
With this invitation was sent about one hundred 
dollars to pay his expenses. We can hardly 
imagine a happier person than this young artist 
must have been when he started on his second visit 
to Madrid. 

There he became the personal friend of the king 
and managed his affairs so wisely that the royal 
friendship was never broken during the life of the 
artist, a period of about thirty-six years. In a short 
time the king asked Velasquez to bring his family 
to Madrid and furnished the money to pay for their 
removal. Ever after, Madrid was their home. 

Twice the king gave Velasquez permission to 
visit Italy without loss of salary, and on one of 
these occasions gave him nearly one thousand 
dollars for expenses. 

His study of art at Rome made him familiar with 
many pictures intended to illustrate Greek myths. 
These greatly pleased him and it was while there 
that he painted " The Forge of Hephaestus." 

Velasquez was the greatest of Spanish artists 
and one of the greatest painters in the w^orld. 

THE ARMOR OF ACHILLES 

Perhaps no one of the heroic tales of the Trojan 
war is more interesting than that of Achilles. He 
was unjustly treated by his commander, Agamem- 

63 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

non, and refused longer to aid the Greeks. Day 
after day he remained in his tent, while the Trojans 
killed and drove back the Greeks. The Trojans 
gained the Greek camp and were burning the Greek 
ships when Patroclus, the bosom friend of Achilles, 
begged for permission to wear the armor of Achilles 
and lead the Greeks in battle. Achilles finally con- 
sented and arrayed his friend in his own armor. 
The Trojans believed that the Greek warrior was 
the great Achilles himself and fled in fear to the 
walls of their city. But the brave Trojan, Hector, 
at last faced the supposed Achilles and struck him 
a fatal blow. 

Word was carried to the tent of Achilles that his 
friend, Patroclus, was dead. The grief of Achilles 
knew no bounds. His mother, Thetis, came to 
comfort him and her son begged her to procure for 
him in some way a suit of armor, that he might 
avenge the death of his friend. She remembered 
Hephcestus, whom she had cared for when he fell, 
injured, from Olympus. To him she went and 
made her request. What success she had you have 
already learned. Filled with joy, Thetis returned 
with the shield and armor to Achilles, who then led 
the Greeks to victory and avenged his friend's 
death. 

The painter of our picture has chosen for his 
subject the return of this loving mother, bringing 
the brilliant shield and shining armor to her son. 

64 




Thetis Bearing the Akmor of Achilles — F^-iuicois Gerard 



HEPHAESTUS 

This painter was Francois Gerard (i 770-1837), 
the son of French parents. At the age of twelve 
he went to Paris and was soon after placed with a 
sculptor with whom he studied for two years. This 
did not prove to be the form of art he loved best, 
hence he left the sculptor and was placed under the 
care of the French painter, David. His progress 
was so rapid that at the age of nineteen he won a 
second prize. 

Soon after this, his father died and left the family 
very poor, and Gerard was forced to find work that 
would bring some regular income. At last he 
found that he could paint portraits well, and when he 
was twenty-nine he produced a portrait of Madame 
Bonaparte, which was a pronounced success. On 
account of this, he was made the official portrait 
painter by the Emperor, and this insured his fortune. 
Famous people from various parts of Europe came 
to Gerard for portraits. He was made a baron by 
Napoleon, honored by art societies, and was an 
officer of the Legion of Honor. He died at the 
age of sixty-seven. 



65 



XI 

APHRODITE 

Aphrodite, daughter of the great Zeus, was the 
goddess of love and beauty, and is supposed to have 
been born of the foam of the sea on the island of 
Cypress where whole cities, together with their 
groves, temples and altars, were sacred to her. 

Aphrodite must have been very lovely and 
exceedingly bewitching. She had a remarkable 
girdle that was said to greatly increase her charms 
when she chose to put it on. Its power was so 
great that even the haughty Hera borrowed it, that 
she might more certainly retain the love of Zeus. 
We may well believe, then, that there were many 
admirers of this beautiful goddess. 

She was very fond of her son, Eros, and his room 
w^as one of the most delightful in her great palace. 
The carpets were the brightest and softest imagin- 
able, his bed was of down, pictures hung on the 
walls, and whenever he wished, the sweetest music 
filled the air. 

When he was old enough he was given a silver 
bow with an ivory quiver, in which were two kinds 

66 



APHRODITE 

of arrows; one was of lead, blunt at the end; the 
other was of silver and sharp pointed. Eros prized 
his bow and arrows above all his other presents, 
and never tired of playing pranks with them. 

The most remarkable thing about his appearance 
was a pair of very dainty wdiite wings, by use of 
which he could go where he wished with the speed 
of thought. He w^as somewhat wilful, perhaps, but 
the fact that he was very much petted and humored 
by his mother may account for that. 

Now w^e should know that the silver bow of Eros 
w^as very Avonderful in that it never missed its mark. 
We must also remember that wdien Eros delivered a 
blow from an arrow of lead it caused the most un- 
pleasant feelings in the one receiving it — disgust, 
anger, and sometimes even hatred for every object 
in sight ; while a wound from a silver arrow caused 
love to spring up for what was nearest — not so 
great a misfortune if one knew how^ to treat the 
w^ound properly. Of course, Eros should have been 
exceedingly careful in the use of his arrows. 

As may be supposed, the magnificent palace of 
Aphrodite was surrounded by beautiful gardens. 
In one of them were two large springs. The water 
of one was clear and sweet, and the lips that 
touched it spoke words as gentle and sweet as 
the w^ater; while the water of the other was dark 
and bitter, and the lips touched by it uttered 
only harsh and bitter words. One may sometimes 

(>7 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

wonder if there are not such springs still in the 
world outside this garden. 

A FAMOUS STATUE OF APHRODITE 

About ninety years ago some men were at work 
clearing away rubbish and earth from an old wall 
on the little island of Melos, situated about eighty 
miles southeast of Athens, when they were surprised 
at coming upon a beautiful marble statue standing 
in a niche of the wall. People that were capable of 
judging such things said that it was a statue of un- 
usual beauty, and was intended to represent Aphro- 
dite. The French ambassador at Constantinople 
heard of the statue and bought it to give to his 
king, and it is now in the gallery of the Louvre in 
Paris, perhaps the most beautiful of all that great 
collection of statues. It is usually called Venus of 
Melos, but sometimes Venus of Milo. Venus was the 
name the Romans gave to the goddess Aphrodite. 

No one can tell by whom it was carved, yet its 
general character leads many to believe that it was 
done by somie Athenian sculptor. Some have even 
thought it may have been copied from a statue 
made by Alcamenes, the greatest of the pupils 
of Pheidias. While this may not be true, all agree 
that this statue represents a goddess, and not simply 
a beautiful woman. It is one of the most perfect 
Greek statues in the world today. 

68 




Venus of Melos — (Louvre) 



APHRODITE 

APHRODITE EQUIPPING EROS 

By Tizlano Vccclli,or Titian (14.77-1376) 

When young people have grown older and try to 
think what has helped them most, there are few who 
do not recall some loving acts or wise words of 
their mother as having done more than anything 
else for them. It is the mothers, then, who equip 
their sons with weapons that will win them success 
in the battle of life. Perhaps that is what the Greeks 
were thinking when they told how Aphrodite gave 
to her son Eros a silver bow and an ivory quiver 
filled with magic arrows, and permitted him to take 
them with him everywhere he went throughout the 
w^orld. 

We suspect that the artist who painted this 
picture thought the same thing. The mother, 
Aphrodite, is listening to the childish wisdom of 
some other Eros as she takes the bandage from the 
eyes of her own child and permits the two graces, 
who stand before her, to surprise him with the 
gift of the silver bow, the ivory quiver and the 
magic arrows. The sky, the clouds and the moun- 
tains of earth are in sight, suggesting that the earth 
is the place where these wonderful weapons will 
be most used. This picture is a masterpiece of 
thought and color, and yet it was painted when the 
artist was ninety years old. To know more of such 
a man will add to the pleasure of looking at this 
picture. 

69 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

By the foot of the Alps, in the valley of Cadore, 
in a humble cottage, lived Gregorio Vecelli and 
his wife, Lucia. Vecelli had been a soldier, and 
when he returned from the army he was made 
superintendent of the Castle of Cadore, inspector of 
mines, and member of the Council. 

Vecelli had four children, one of whom was named 
Tiziano, whom the world has come to call Titian. 
From a child he was a lover of beauty, and very 
early tried to express this love in drawings. It is 
said that at ten he painted, with the juice of a 
flower, on the walls of his father's cottage, a Madonna 
with a child on her knee and an angel kneeling at 
her feet. So pleased were the parents that they 
immediately arranged to send the lad to his uncle 
in Venice that he might study art. 

Titian was taught to place bits of colored glass 
in a pattern given him to make a glass mosaic for a 
window. The lad was not satisfied with the design 
and introduced changes of his own, but he had his 
ears pulled for his pains. Nevertheless, he con- 
tinued to vary the patterns, and was even heard to 
say that he could make better ones himself. The 
good-natured master soon let Titian spend a part 
of each day painting designs for window mosaics. 

To the shop of this maker of mosaics often came 
painters of note. One of these was a kind-spirited 
old man of seventy by the name of Gentile Bellini. 
He was attracted to the lad from the valley of 

70 



w 




APHRODITE 

Cadore, and invited him to visit his studio. This 
showed Titian a new world, and in a short time he 
was installed as a pupil of Bellini. The old artist 
had traveled much, and could tell • the lad of as 
many wonders as he could show him in his studio. 
The pupil absorbed the gentle spirit and refined 
taste of his master. Titian was now entering on 
the life of an artist. 

The days of pupilage ended when he was quite 
young, and he fortunately became the friend, and, 
perhaps, the partner of Giorgione, who was musician, 
poet, and painter, and a man of lovable character. 
Giorgione died at the age of thirty-three, yet he had 
already surpassed all other artists in Venice. It is 
said that " Giorgione's head touched heaven and his 
feet were not always on earth. Titian's feet were 
ahvays on earth and his head sometimes touched 
heaven." The influence of such a man as Giorgione 
must have been powerful on the life of the young 
artist, Titian. 

Titian's work attracted favorable attention, and 
he received orders for pictures from churches and 
palaces in Venice, and soon from many other cities 
of Italy. 

The Emperot of Spain, Charles V, passed through 
Italy, then a part of his empire, and asked Titian 
to paint his portrait. It so pleased the Emperor 
that he would never sit for any other painter. He 
made Titian a count and raised the artist's family 

n 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

to the rank of the nobility. After this, Titian re- 
ceived many orders from the Emperor and several 
from his son Philip, who ruled after him. 

Many years before his death Titian became a 
rich man, but that in no way lessened his industry 
or the growth of his art. He lived to be one hun- 
dred years old, lacking six months, and he con- 
stantly improved as an artist during all those years, 
using his brush almost to the day of his death, his 
last picture being painted when he was ninety-nine 
years old. This explains how he was able to leave 
behind him over one thousand pictures. 

He painted many pictures that were inspired 
by Greek myths, among which are " Bacchus and 
Ariadne," " Prometheus," " Tantalus," " Europa and 
the White Bull," and " Aphrodite equipping Eros." 




72 



XII 

ATALANTA 

There was once a Greek father who must have 
been struck by one of Eros' s lead arrows, and who 
must also have tasted of the water from the bitter 
spring in Aphrodite's garden, for, when he was told 
that a daughter was born to him, he said, " Only a 
girl ! Let her be taken to the mountain and be left 
to die. I will have no daughter in my house." 

But a bear that found the baby on the mountain 
was kinder than her father and did not kill her. 
Later, some hunters found her, cared for her and 
named her Atalanta. She grew to be a kindly but 
an independent and courageous young woman. 
When she learned the story of her own life, she came 
to doubt the love and gentleness of the world and 
said, " I will never marry." Some people say an 
oracle advised her to this course, but that is only 
another way of saying that she had made up her 
mind. She loved the fields and the woods and 
became a great huntress. 

It is not to be supposed that such a young 
woman .would have no suitors. She turned them 
aside for a time, but when they became more urgent, 
she said, " I will be the prize of him who shall de- 

73 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

feat me in a race ; but death or a single life must 
be the penalty of all who try and fail." 

A young man by the name of Hippomenes was 
to act as judge in one such contest. He said to 
the young men who were making ready to start, 
" Can it be that any one will be so rash as to take 
so great a risk for such a prize ? " 

Aphrodite had been observing the life and 
doings of Atalanta and now called Eros. " Take a 
vial of sweet water," she said, " and touch the lips of 
Atalanta and Hippomenes and use upon them your 
silver arrows." 

When Atalanta threw aside her mantle to engage 
in the race, Hippomenes turned to the young men 
and said, " I beg your pardon, I did not know the 
value of the prize for which you were competing. 
Let another be judge, for I wish to enter the 
contest." 

Then Hippomenes prayed to Aphrodite, " O 
Mother of Love, aid me that I may win this prize!" 

The goddess picked three golden apples from 
her garden and sent them to Hippomenes, and 
Eros told him how to use them. Even Atalanta 
did not really wish to have him fail. 

When Atalanta was about to pass Hippomenes 
in the race, he threw down one of the beautiful 
golden apples and she stopped to pick it up. 
When she had nearly overtaken him again, he 
dropped a second apple and again Atalanta stopped 

74 



ATALANTA 

to pick it up. Then Hippomenes prayed to Aphro- 
dite, " Sweet goddess, may the last of thy gifts not 
fail me ! " but he did not lessen his efforts. The 
spectators cheered, and called out, " Now, Hippom- 
enes, relax not, if you would win." He dropped 
his third and last apple, and Atalanta again stopped 
to pick it up. 

Hippomenes won the race and Atalanta became 
his wife. Perhaps Atalanta changed her mind in 
regard to marrying when she saw Hippomenes, and 
was quite willing to stop each time a golden apple 
was dropped, thus permitting herself to be defeated. 

These young people were so happy that they for- 
got to thank Aphrodite for her aid. In fact they 
ignored the gods altogether. This brought swift 
and terrible punishment. The mother of the gods, 
Rhea, was angered by their selfish neglect and 
changed them to lions, which she yoked to her 
chariot and compelled them to draw her about the 
world. We would like to believe, however, that there 
came a time when Rhea saw that their labor had 
made them gentle and obedient, and so permitted 
them to become a wiser and a happier pair. 

ATALANTA'S RACE 

By Sir Edward J. Poynter 

When we look at this picture, with the story of 
Atalanta fresh in our minds, we see that the maiden 

75 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

has just stooped to pick up the last golden apple, 
and we can almost hear the prayer of Hippomenes 
as he strains forward in the race : " Sweet goddess, 
may the last of thy gifts not fail me ! " We are 
glad to know that his prayer was answered, and 
that even Atalanta was not displeased when he won 
the prize. 

The painter, Sir Edward J. Poynter, is an Eng- 
lish artist, although he was born in Paris, in 1836. 
His father was a painter of historic scenes and also 
an architect of some prominence. The son re- 
ceived his education in England, and rose in his 
chosen field of art until, at the age of thirty-four, he 
was made professor in the University of London. 
He proved himself quite as great a teacher as a 
painter of high rank. Over thirty years ago he said 
to an audience of artists : " Remember that the true 
object of art is to create a world, not to imitate what 
is constantly before our eyes." 

His paintings can be found in the English Houses 
of Parliament, in St. Paul's Church and in the 
Palace of Westminster. His " Atalanta's Race " is 
the most popular of his canvases. 



;6 



XIII 
PYGMALION 

Aphrodite believed that true love could work 
wonders and inspire men to strive for worthy ideals, 

Pygmalion was a great sculptor, but in early life 
had acquired a dislike of women. In fact, he said, 
" I hate all women," but he loved his art. 

It was strange therefore that the piece of sculp- 
ture he loved most and worked on longest was that 
of a woman. He had carved it of ivory so perfectly 
that he could hardly believe it was but a cold and 
lifeless form. He placed a beautiful robe on it, and 
adorned it with jev\'els. 

When the time for the festival of Aphrodite came, 
Pygmalion took an offering to her altar and prayed, 
*' Give me, O goddess of true love, give me for my 
wife one as sweet and pure as my ivory virgin." 

The goddess heard him, and the flame on the 
altar shot up twice with an added glow. Aphrodite 
said to herself, " I will hear him for the purity and 
sincerity of his love, and the nobility of his ideals." 

When he looked again upon his statue it seemed 
warm and glowing with color, and it yielded to his 
touch. The eyes could see and the lips could 
move. The maiden was a reality, a miracle wrought 
by the power of love. 

77 



XIV 

THE APPLE OF DISCORD 

In the early days of Greece there was a most in- 
teresting and successful schoolmaster by the name 
of Chiron. Some people said he was a centaur, 
with the body of a horse and the breast and head 
of a man. However that may be, he taught wisely, 
and many of his pupils became famous. One of 
these was Jason, who captured the Golden Fleece; 
another was Heracles, who unbound Prometheus 
and did many other noble deeds; and another was 
the great warrior Achilles. 

The schoolmaster Chiron had a grandson, Pe- 
leus, who was unhappily connected with the murder 
of his brother and fled from his home. He seems, 
however, to have repented of his early wrong-doing 
and to have resisted a temptation to commit another 
terrible wrong. The gods were pleased at this, and 
decided to reward him by giving him for a wife a 
noble and beautiful sea maiden, Thetis, of whom 
you may remember to have heard. 

So interested were the gods in this wedding 
that all the Mighty Ones were invited. We can 
imagine but faintly the wondrous beauty of the 
gowns, the sparkle of priceless gems, the glitter of 

78 



THE APPLE OF DISCORD 

crowns, and the sweetness of the music, the richness 
of the banquet and the grace of the dancing. But 
this charming scene was rudely interrupted by the 
jealousy and spite of a goddess whose presence at 
Olympus or upon the earth never failed to cause 
trouble and unhappiness. This was Eris, the God- 
dess of Discord^ 

Eris was angry because she had not been invited, 
and when the festivities were at their height she 
threw among the company a golden apple on which 
was wTitten, "To the fairest." It was immediately 
claimed by three goddesses : Hera, the Queen of 
Heaven; Athene, the Goddess of Wisdom; and 
Aphrodite, the Queen of Love and Beauty. 

Now, it is not strange that Aphrodite should 
claim it, but it is surprising that the Goddess of 
Wisdom should care so much about a mere toy, 
and it is certainly to be regretted that the Queen 
of Heaven should so far forget her dignity and 
power as to contend for so trifling a prize. But 
contend they did, and it is fortunate that we do not 
have to account for the ways of queens either on 
earth or on Olympus. 

With Hera, his queen, and the other two his 
daughters, as claimants, Zeus could not be expected 
to decide the contest, and as no other god cared to 
perform so delicate a task, the three goddesses 
agreed to leave the decision to Paris, a supposed 
shepherd of Mount Ida, but really a prince of Troy. 

79 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

The three queens presented themselves before 
Paris, therefore, and each attempted to influence 
his decision by secretly bribing him. Hera said, 
" I will give you the power of heaven and the riches 
of earth," but perhaps she did not speak in very 
winning tones, or her face was too proud, for she 
was not given the apple. Athene said, " I will give 
you the wisdom of the earth and great glory in war." 
Now, Paris needed the wisdom very much, but he 
did not know it until it was too late, and so Athene 
was disappointed. 

Aphrodite probably did not forget to touch her 
lips with water from the sweet spring that day, and 
to put on her magic girdle also. When she said, 
" If the apple is given to me, your wife shall be the 
most beautiful woman on earth," Paris no longer 
hesitated ; the apple was hers. 

How Paris afterward caused a terrible war is not 
for us to tell here, but we see why the Mighty Ones 
of Olympus should think this war belonged quite 
as much to them as to the Greeks and Trojans. 

A STATUE OF PARIS 

Paris was a son of Priam, King of Troy. His 
mother, Hecuba, was warned by a dream that this 
son would be the means of destroying the Trojan 
people. To prevent this, the king and queen com- 
manded a servant to take the babe to the top of 

80 




■'it 7T:.-!^sL-JSiSii^TL:z^'S^ 



Paris — (Vatican, Rome) 



THE APPLE OF DISCORD 

Mount Ida and leave him there to die. This the 
servant did, but returning five days later, he found 
the child had been cared for by a bear. The servant 
believed that this meant that the child's life should 
be spared, and he gave him to a shepherd that he 
met there. The shepherd named the child Paris 
and reared him with care. He grew up to be 
a very strong and handsome man, and married 
CEnone, a nymph. In their shepherd's hut on 
Mount Ida they lived for years in great content 
until Hermes brought to him the three goddesses, 
Hera, Athene and Aphrodite, to ask Paris to decide 
which should receive the apple of gold that had 
been thrown among the guests at the wedding of 
Thetis and Peleus by the Goddess of Discord. 

In the picture of the statue we see Paris, in 
shepherd's dress, holding the apple in his hand, con- 
siderino: w^hat decision he shall make. We know 
that Aphrodite finally received the apple and prom- 
ised Paris, in return, the most beautiful woman in 
the world for a wife. Paris deserted his faithful 
CEnone and stole Helen, the wife of the Greek 
king, Menelaus, and thus brought on a ten years' 
war between the Greeks and the Trojans. In this 
war the country of Troy was made desolate, and the 
members of the family of King Priam, including 
Paris himself, w^ere killed. 

The old statue from which our picture is copied 
is probably Greek, but we do not know the sculptor. 

8i 



XV 

ADONIS 

Aphrodite took great pleasure in watching the 
conduct of all sorts of people when they were, or 
thought they were, under the control of love. Even 
the gods and goddesses were not free trom its in- 
fluence as directed^by this beautiful queen, but she 
quite plumed herself that it never affected her or 
her son. It is strange, therefore, to learn what 
happened at one time to silence the proud boasting 
of this bewitching queen. 

She was in her garden one day by the spring of 
sweet water sporting with Eros, who, as usual, had 
his bow and arrows with him, for it seemed he went 
nowhere without them. By a curious accident, 
Aphrodite was scratched by one of the silver arrows. 
She smiled in a superior way and said, " If that 
slight wound were on another, Eros, what strange 
antics might you and I not expect as a result ! 
But on me it will soon heal." 

Some time after, having almost forgotten the 
wound, she was traveling in some far eastern 
country, Chaldea, perhaps, when she noticed, as he 
was hunting, a young man by the name of Adonis. 
She was strangely affected by the sight. " How 

82 



ADONIS 

noble and how beautiful ! " she said. He did 
indeed have both these qualities. But what is that 
to the Queen of Beauty ? Indeed, it w^as much. She 
came to love him desperately. 

Before this she had cared little for fields or forests, 
but now she went with Adonis everywhere on his 
hunts. She wished only to be with him and to pro- 
tect him from harm. But, alas ! one day he followed 
and wounded a wild boar, and unhappily came too 
near the enraged animal and was torn by its tusks. 

When Aphrodite arrived in her chariot drawn by 
swans, Adonis was dying, and the entreaties of even 
a goddess could not save his life. " O Father Zeus," 
she prayed, " canst thou not control the Fates, those 
daughters of Night .^ Let Clotho hold the distaff 
more firmly, bid Atropos lay down those fatal scissors 
and Lachesis spin this thread of life of greater 
strength ! " 

But Zeus himself was helpless in such a case. 
Mournfully he remembered and thought aloud, " Ask 
me not ; do I not remember my own much-loved 
son, Sarpedon ? I dared not turn aside the spear of 
Patroclus to save even him," and Zeus lowered his 
head. 

The grief of Aphrodite knew no bounds. She 
wandered alone through the forest until her flesh 
was torn and bleeding. One drop of her blood upon 
a rose, ever pure white before, turned it crimson, and 
the rose has since been known as the flower of love. 

83 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

The blood of Adonis reddened the ground, and 
there grew up a purple flower that loved the field 
and the play of the winds, as Adonis had done, and 
it was called the wind flower, or anemone. 

The goddess thus decreed: "Annually the people, 
especially the women, shall meet in solemn festival 
in memory of Adonis and of my loss. On the first 
day shall his statue be carried in the streets, and on 
the second shall there be joy and brightness to com- 
memorate the arrival of Adonis in the Isles of the 
Blessed." Thus was the festival established in the 
states of Greece and in many other lands. 




84 



XVI 

ANCHISES AND ^NEAS 

^NEAS was a Trojan prince, the son of Anchises, 
and he fought valiantly for his city against the 
Greeks during the ten years' siege. When Troy was 
finally captured and burned, ^neas, with his wife, 
his son, and blind old father, escaped from the burn- 
ing city. His wife became separated from him in 
their flight and could never be found, ^neas and 
his party reached the seashore where they were 
joined by others who had escaped from Troy and 
the party took ship to find a new home. 

They visited many places, among them Sicily, 
where the aged Anchises died and was buried; also 
Carthage, whose queen. Dido, was so much pleased 
with ^neas that she urged him to make her city 
his new home. He would have done so had not 
Hermes come to remind him that his mission was 
to found a great nation, a nation that should be- 
come greatest of all and should overthrow Greece. 
Then he and his party went to Italy where his 
descendant, Romulus, founded Rome, and thus, 
through the descendants of ^neas, did Troy, at 
last, indirectly, conquer Greece. 

85 



XVII 

EROS AND PSYCHE 

Aphrodite was proud of her good looks and was 
jealous of any one whom she thought rivalled her 
in beauty. Her anger was especially provoked at 
one time by listening to the foolish chatter of men 
about a poor earth-born maiden. We shall learn 
about this in the story of Eros and Psyche. 

There was once a king and queen who had three 
daughters. They lived in the days when it was 
thought a disgrace for daughters not to secure 
husbands. All these daughters had been well 
trained at home and all were beautiful, but the 
youngest, Psyche, was most beautiful. This made 
her older sisters feel envious, but as they had readily 
secured husbands they were, for a time at least, 
consoled by this for their lack of beauty. 

But years went by and Psyche grew more lovely 
and she had many admirers to tell her so. It may 
be that even she became somewhat vain, but it is a 
pleasure to know that, on the whole, she was a very 
sweet and sensible girl. 

There were many others not so sensible, and 
they became very foolish over Psyche's beauty. 



EROS AND PSYCHE 

They said she was even more beautiful than Aphro- 
dite, and erected altars for her worship. This all 
came to the knowledge of Aphrodite and made her 
very angry. 

Now, it would seem as if a great queen who must 
borrow apples from Hera in order to retain her 
youth should not have thought that beauty alone 
was so very important, but no one can account for 
the actions of a beautiful, but angry queen. Per- 
haps, by mistake, she had touched her own lips with 
the bitter water. 

However, Aphrodite determined to punish Psyche, 
and, calling Eros, said, " Take some of the waters 
of bitterness and your bluntest arrows and go to 
Psyche when she is asleep. Touch her lips with 
the w^ater and her breast with one of the arrows 
and I think I shall hear no more of the praises that 
are so hateful to me." 

In the meantime. Psyche's parents became much 
distressed because no husband came for the hand 
of their youngest daughter. The real reason for 
this was that the young men saw that they were not 
worthy of her. The king went to an oracle to ask 
what he should do and was told, " Prepare your 
daughter irrevery way to be the bride of a most noble 
and worthy husband. Then take her to a moun- 
tain top where the air is purest, the sunshine bright- 
est, and where there are no clouds to interfere with 
the vision, and trust her to the gods." The father 

87 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

and mother did as the oracle commanded and there 
asleep on the mountain top Eros found her. 

When, with wings as swift as thought, he started 
from Olympus, he had intended no disobedience 
to the commands of his mother. But with the real 
Psyche before him he seemed to hear a command 
more compelling than the one that had brought 
him to the mountain top. The bitter waters were 
thrown away, the arrows remained in their ivory 
quiver. His own lips had not been bathed in the 
wrong waters on that bright morning, for he said, 
"Thou art indeed love, and love is life and life 
always!' He called Zephyr, the west wind, and 
had him carry Psyche gently to the garden of his 
own earthly palace. 

There she awoke to a new world of beauty and 
wandered through the garden paths until she saw 
the palace and stepped timidly in. She saw no one, 
but she heard these words: "This palace belongs 
to you, to you and your husband. We are your ser- 
vants, and obey even your unspoken wish. Your 
bath is ready and your room awaits you. When 
you are pleased to come to the banquet hall we 
will serve you." It took time for Psyche to make 
herself feel that all this was real. 

Although it was necessary for Eros to be absent 
during the day, the life of Psyche and Eros was 
very beautiful. But Eros had made one request, 
which was, that for a time, she would not ask his 




Eros and Psyche — Bnrne-Jones 



EROS AND PSYCHE 

name nor try to see his face ; in fact, she was to trust 
him entirely. This she readily promised, and this 
'promise she would doubtless have kept but for the 
unhappy visit of her sisters. 

It was quite natural that Psyche should wish to 
see her sisters, and perhaps she could not under- 
stand why her wiser husband should hesitate to give 
his consent. The sisters came and at once saw 
how much more delightfully Psyche was situated 
than they themselves were. We might think they 
would rejoice at their sister's good fortune, but they 
were not generous enough for that. Instead, they 
were envious and said, " What kind of a husband 
have you ? " 

Psyche replied, " He is all that I could possibly 
desire. See what he has done for me. How could 
I ask for more ? " 

" But how does he look ? " they asked. 

Then poor Psyche was obliged to confess she had 
not seen him. " Then," said they, " he is no honest 
man. He is some scoundrel that means to do you 
harm." 

" But," said Psyche, " how can that be when he 
.treats " The sisters interrupted, " He is de- 
ceiving you and in the end will bring you trouble. 
Or, it may be that he is some horrid monster wdio 
does not dare to show his face. Do not be so simple- 
minded, but the next time he comes have ready a 
lamp and a dagger — yes, a dagger You need not 

89 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

tremble so, Psyche, for be sure he is some evil 
creature that some time means to take your life." 

Psyche could no longer welcome her sisters. Fear 
had entered her heart and had taken the place of 
love. Her sisters returned to their homes, but 
the mischief they had done caused serious results. 
Psyche no longer dared confide her thoughts to her 
husband. Suspicion grew, until one fatal night she 
took her sisters' advice, and with a lamp in her left 
hand and a dagger in her right, she cautiously en- 
tered her husband's chamber while he was asleep. 
There she saw the beautiful God of Love, and she 
at once realized the shamefulness of her wicked 
conduct. Her trembling hand caused a drop of hot 
oil from her lamp to fall on the naked shoulder of 
Eros and he awoke. The look of love and regret 
that she saw upon his face brought despair to the 
heart of Psyche. He uttered no reproaches, but 
said, gently, " Love and suspicion dwell not under 
the same roof." 

Psyche found herself alone — a loneliness made 
more desolate by having been caused by her own 
folly and wrong-doing. She had but one thought, 
and that was to find Eros and beg his forgiveness. 
She was. willing to do anything that might in any 
way undo the misery she had caused. But, alas! 
such things can never be undone, as Psyche found 
to her sorrow. 

She traveled the world over and sought the aid 

90 



EROS AND PSYCHE 

of the wisest, but no one could help her. Love is 
seldom found by the seeking. Hopeless, at last, 
she threw herself into a river to end her life, but 
the river god, kinder to her than she was to herself, 
gently tossed her upon the bank. Finally she said, 
" His mother must know, and if she will, she can 
tell me where to find my husband. I know she is 
justly angry with me, but it may be I can soften her 
heart." 

So Psyche went to the angry mother and made 
known her errand. Aphrodite at first only frowned. 
Then she said, " How dare you present yourself 
here ? You, who pretend to possess divine beauty ! 
You, who can lure my son from me only to betray 
him ! Why should you be told where he may be 
found .^ But you shall serve me and learn true 
reverence and humility. Go back to earth and you 
will be shown a great pile of grain composed of 
wheat, barley, peas, and millet. Take grain by 
grain until you have each kind in a pile by itself; 
and have it done before the sun rises tomorrow 
morning." 

Psvche returned to earth to undertake the im- 
possible task. Perhaps she was not altogether 
hopeless, for on her way she thoiight she saw the 
glimmer of shining wings, and though she did not 
dream that they could belong to Eros, she thought 
they might be the wings of Hope. 

When she saw the vast heap of grain, despair filled 

91 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

her heart. But as she looked more closely she 
saw thousands of ants, all exceedingly busy. Some 
were carrying wheat, some barley, some peas and 
others millet. She saw that each kind was placed 
in its own proper pile. Success now seemed possi- 
ble, and with her help the work was soon completed. 
Then she returned to the frowning Aphrodite and 
said, "The task is done." "Impossible!" cried 
Aphrodite, " you wish to deceive me." But, upon 
inquiry, the report was found true. " I will try you 
again," said the goddess. " Go where are kept my 
sheep that bear golden wool and bring me samples." 

Psyche went her way and inquired the where- 
abouts of the pasture. Just before she reached it 
she heard a gentle whisper, " Beware the horns of 
those ill-natured sheep. Wait until they have eaten 
and have lain down to rest, then take the golden 
wool that hangs on the thorns and bushes." 

She heard no more words, but she thought she 
detected the rustle of wings. She did as she was 
bid and soon placed the samples before Aphrodite. 
Psyche thought the face of the goddess did not look 
so unkindly. Aphrodite said quietly, " I do not 
understand this. Some Great One is helping you." 
Then a faint smile appeared on Psyche's lips. 

Again she heard the goddess speaking, " One more 
task I have for you, and if that is faithfully per- 
formed I may tell you where Eros is to be found. 
Go to the goddess of the Lower World and get for 

92 



EROS AND PSYCHE 

me a box containing a powder that will produce 
perfect beauty and bring it to me unopened." 

Psyche departed, but the smile upon her lips and 
the brightness in her face had gone. This task 
seemed more hopeless than either of the others. 
She came to the black river, Styx, but she had no 
fee for the surly old ferry-man, Charon. Just then 
she felt a touch, and in her hand lay the needed 
coin. 

Thus the Styx was crossed and she soon found 
herself near the gateway of the great city below, where 
she could hear the snarl of the three-headed dog, Cer- 
berus. " How can I, a mortal, pass this never-sleep- 
ing dog that guards the gate ? " she thought, and 
then came again a touch accompanied by the gentlest 
of whispers," Fear not. Psyche, the dog loves sweet- 
meats." And beside her lay the cake of which 
Cerberus was so fond. She tossed it to him, and 
he ate it and fell asleep. Then Psyche went on her 
way to the palace, but nearly forgot her errand, so 
absorbed was she in trying to remember if she had 
ever heard that mysterious voice before. 

She obtained the box of Persephone, queen of the 
Lower World, and w^as making her way back to 
Olympus, when she became so weary that she lay 
down to rest, and probably fell sound asleep. She 
could never quite make it out herself, but the 
faithful Eros came and took her in his arms to the 
great white throne of Zeus and frankly explained 

93 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

" This is Psyche, my wife, who, though erring, is 
deserving of all love and trust." 

Zeus smiled on them and gave Psyche the 
ambrosia of the gods, saying, " Live with the Im- 
mortals. Love and life should be immortal." 

Next they went to the mother, Aphrodite, con- 
fessing all, and she was reconciled. The Graces 
dropped roses in their path, the Muses sang, the 
bells of heaven rang, and even Aphrodite danced 
at the second, the heavenly, wedding of Eros and 
Psyche. 



A PICTURE OF EROS AND PSYCHE 

By Sir Edivard Burne-Jones {iSjs-iSgS) 

No Greek myth is more beautiful or more full of 
meaning than that of Eros and Psyche. Poor 
Psyche was not to blame because there were foolish 
men to rave over her beauty and build altars for her 
worship, yet it was against her, and not against the 
men, that the wrath of Aphrodite was kindled. 

You have just learned that the angry Aphrodite 
sent her son Eros to punish Psyche on the moun- 
tain top, where she had been taken by her parents. 
He found the maiden in bridal array, asleep on a 
couch of leaves, but love made it impossible for 
Eros to obey his mother's commands. Instead, he 
stood spellbound by Psyche's loveliness. 

The artist, Burne-Jones, has represented Eros 

94 



EROS AND PSYCHE 

when he finds Psyche asleep in the palace to which 
Zephyr had borne her, and we have an impressive 
picture of a sincere and manly love. Many artists 
in both ancient and modern times have tried to 
represent different scenes from this story, but none 
has selected more happily or succeeded better than 
the artist whose picture is here shown. 

The family of Burne-Jones lived in Wales and 
was in no w^ay noted. The most distinguished 
member was the great-grandfather of the artist, who 
was a hard-worked schoolmaster, whose first name, 
even, no one can now remember. 

Edward was born in busy Birmingham and there 
attended school, and very early came to love the 
study of Greek and Latin. He was sent to Exeter 
College to prepare him to take orders in the church. 
One of his college chums was William Morris, 
another lad of Welsh blood who later became a 
famous designer. 

While in college Edward read a small volume of 
poems in which he found an illustration that seemed 
to him to open a new world. Upon inquiry he 
found that the illustration had been drawn by the 
artist, Dante Gabriel Rossetti. He decided that at 
any cost he would see Rossetti, and to that end he 
journeyed to London where the artist had his studio. 
He talked with Rossetti, and when requested, timidly 
showed him some of his drawings. Rossetti advised 
him to leave college and begin the study of art at 

95 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

once. He returned to Oxford, and after talking 
with his friend Morris, decided to remain no loneer 
in school, although he could have finished his 
course in about seven months. 

Once started on his career as an artist he never 
wavered. The themes he loved best were those 
that possessed delicate, yet powerful spiritual mean- 
ing, such as the Nibelungenlied, Chaucer's Tales, 
the stories of King Arthur's Round Table and 
many of the Greek myths. Among the last-named 
are " The Hours," " Pygmalion and the Image," 
*' Perseus and the Graeae " and a series from Eros 
and Psyche, one of which is here given. 

A PICTURE OF CHARON AND PSYCHE 

By Emit Neide (1843- 

Let US think again of the last trial of the un- 
happy Psyche. Aphrodite was not yet willing to 
trust her, but sent her to Persephone, the queen of 
the kingdom of the dead, to obtain a powder capable 
of producing perfect beauty. The task seemed to 
Psyche impossible, and hopelessly she started on 
her journey. How could she, a lonely girl, ever 
cross the dark Styx or pass through the gateway 
guarded by the surly, three-headed dog, into the 
city of the dead ! Yet the faithful Eros followed 
her unseen. It was Eros who dropped into her 
hand the coin to pay Charon his fee for ferrying 

96 



CHARON AND PSYCHE 

her over the Styx. It was Eros again who gave 
her the cake which could quiet Cerberus at the 
gateway. She found Persephone and obtained the 
precious pow^der, and w^e see her in the picture on 
her return, sitting in Charon's boat holding in her 
hand the box. Her face is sad, for she does not yet 
know that faithful Eros and the sweet music of 
heaven aw^ait her. She is not using those delicate 
wings which are soon to unfold in an immortal life. 
Charon, sturdy but very gentle, is ferrying her back 
to the land of the living. The picture carries out 
the spirit of the story, and it seems as if the artist 
must have stood just behind the tree watching 
Psyche's safe return. 

Emil Neide was born in 1843, '^^ ^he old " City of 
the King," called Konigsburg, in Germany There 
he went to school and studied painting. Later he 
studied in other German cities and then traveled in 
various countries, among them Italy. 

He w^as impressed, as many other artists have 
been, by the beauty of the Greek myths. When he 
w^as thirty years old, he painted " Psyche Conveyed 
Across the Styx by Charon," and-this picture is now 
in the museum of his native town. More than 
twenty-five years ago, he became a teacher of art in 
the Academy of Konigsburg and there he still lives 
and paints. 



97 



XVIII 
APOLLO 

The tales told of some of the gods by the people 
in different parts of Greece did not always agree, 
but concerning Apollo there is little variation ; 
hence, we think he must have been widely wor- 
shipped and greatly loved. 

Apollo and his twin sister, Artemis, were chil- 
dren of the goddess, Leto. Hera, it seems, became 
angry at Leto and determined she should no longer 
live on Olympus; hence, Leto went in search of 
some suitable place on earth. This was no easy 
task, for, when she found what would please her, 
the people so feared Hera that they did not dare to 
welcome Leto and her children. 

At last she saw the beautiful island of Delos 
floating in the sea, and decided to make it her 
home. Both she and her children were very thirsty, 
and she went to a clear lake for water. Some rude 
people of the island tried to prevent her from reach- 
ing the lake, and finally, when they saw she was very 
determined, they waded into the water and stirred 
up the dirt and sand from the bottom. She begged 



APOLLO 

of them, " Do not so. See these Httle ones reach- 
ing their tiny hands for water. At least, pity 
them." 

But tlie people only laughed and called to her in 
rough, coarse voices, while they dug still deeper into 
the bottom of the lake. Then Leto prayed, " O kind 
Zeus, if not for my sake, punish them for their 
wicked conduct toward these suffering little ones ! " 

When they next tried to call back to her, chey 
could utter no words. Harsh sounds came from 
their mouths, and at last they could only croak. 
Their bodies shrank, and their hands and feet 
became webbed, but no great change was needed 
in their natures to make them love the slime of the 
pools and lakes, and become frogs. 

Zeus now anchored the island securely in the sea 
and here Apollo and Artemis were nursed and 
cared for not only by their mother, but also by the 
goddesses Rhea and Aphrodite and the sea-maidens, 
Dione and Thetis. It was Thetis who fed them 
ambrosia and made them immortal. 

Immediately after receiving this food, though but 
a babe, Apollo could both walk and talk, and he 
showed his love for music by reaching out his hand 
for a rude lyre that he saw. 

One of his teachers was the wise old man, 
Chiron, of whom we have already heard, and it 
may be surmised that, in wandering through culti- 
vated fields, the gardens and the groves about the 

LOfC 99 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

cave in which this kindly and thoughtful teacher 
lived, Apollo gained an insight into the many 
wonders worked daily by the sun. 

Chiron it was, or some other divine teacher, that 
walked with him at night under the stars, when he 
saw and felt their mystery and tried to conceive of 
some power that could be sufficient to keep all these 
worlds in orderly motion. Finally, he thought that 
each star and world produced a musical tone as it 
moved, that it had a song quite its own, and that 
each was in perfect harmony with all the others. 
He thought that this produced a mighty volume of 
music through the entire world, and that this power 
of music kept them all moving. He became much 
interested in the orderly movements of the starry 
worlds and he had the deepest faith in the power 
of music. 'Later, he himself became the greatest 
musician of the mighty company on Olympus. 

But he learned somewhere, some- time, the 
value of gentle benevolence and of sympathy for 
others. Was it while living among men that he 
saw much suffering among them and thought that 
it should be lessened ? However this may be, he 
became the god of healing, 'and taught the art to 
his son, Asclepius, and many sick people were 
brought to him to be healed. In fact, Asclepius 
was so successful that some evil-minded persons 
began to denounce this kindly disposed man who 
was doing much good work. 

I GO 



APOLLO 

Some people say that Hades, the god who ruled 
the Lower World, complained to Zeus that Asclepius 
had raised the dead, which was such a violation of 
the law that Zeus felt obliged to hurl his thunder- 
bolts at the good physician and kill him. But it is 
more than probable that the mischief was caused by 
narrow-minded and ignorant people. 

Asclepius had two daughters, of whose names, at 
least, everybody has heard. One was called Hygeia, 
who tried to teach people how they should live so 
as to prevent sickness. The other was Panacea, 
who spent her life trying to find some one medicine 
that would cure all diseases. 

When Apollo had gained wisdom and strength on 
earth, he climbed to the top of Mount Parnassus 
and was taken in a chariot of light to Mount 
Olympus, where the gods rejoiced greatly at his 
coming. The Graces danced with their compan- 
ions, the Hours, and the nine Muses sang, led by 
Apollo himself. It was decreed that Apollo should 
be the god to control the sun ; that he should pre- 
side over the powers of healing and of prophecy — 
the fortelling of future events. He was also made 
the god of music and of oratory. 

To care for all this would certainly require a wise 
god, and would keep him busy. One of the things 
given Apollo to aid in his work was a silver bow 
which, like the bow of Eros, never missed its aim. 
With this bow was supplied two kinds of arrows, — 

lOI 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

one kind sharp-pointed, causing instant death to 
wrong-doers, whom, with the help of the sunlight 
he controlled, Apollo could easily find. The other 
kind was made of softer material, and the blunt 
points of these arrows, sent with a less powerful 
pull of the bowstring, brought merciful death to 
men who were old and feeble, and suffering for 
want of care. 

LETO AND HER CHILDREN 

A pai7iting by Peter Paul Rubens 

This picture shows Leto and her two children 
beside a pool of clear w^ater, on the island of Delos, 
trying to quench their thirst and her own, while 
some coarse and evil-minded men stir up the mud 
from the bottom of the pool. She has traveled far 
and is weary, yet these men, will not let her drink. 
While Apollo clings to her left arm and Artemis 
timidly peeps from her right shoulder, her face is 
turned up toward Zeus, asking that punishment 
shall overtake her tormentors. They do not seem 
to know it, but we can see that Leto's prayer is 
already being answered, for the face of the farther 
man is already that of a frog and we are certain 
that, soon, the change will be complete, and that 
both of the wicked men will be compelled to live in 
the slime. 

Perhaps we shall enjoy the picture more if we 
know something of the man who painted it. Many 

I02 



APOLLO 

years ago, the country we now call Belgium was a 
part of Flanders. The principal city of Flanders 
was Antwerp. One of the bright lawyers of Ant- 
werp was John Rubens who was in the employ of 
William of Orange, then defending the Dutch 
against the armies of the Spanish Emperor. 

While Rubens and his wife were in Westphalia 
in 1577, a son was born on the 29th of June, a day 
on which was commemorated the death of the 
Apostles Peter and Paul, and for that reason the 
child was given the name Peter Paul. 

Peter Paul early showed a love for drawing and 
he was sent to the best teachers of art to be found 
in Antwerp. So successful was he, that, by the 
time he was twenty-one, he was recognized as a 
master of art, and was permitted by Flemish law to 
have pupils of his own. 

When Rubens was twenty-three he went to Italy. 
His first work was in Venice, where he studied and 
copied the great painters. Here he became the 
friend of an ofificer of the court of the Duke of 
Mantua, and by him was induced to go to that city 
in order to meet the Duke, who was a patron of art. 

Rubens soon was made a member of the Duke's 
household and employed by him to execute many 
paintings. At last he was sent to Rome, where 
he studied classic art, from which he painted several 
pictures, among them " Leto and her Children." 

While still working for the Duke of Mantua, with 

103 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

a great amount of unfinished work before him, he 
learned of the illness of his mother. He left every- 
thing and started for Antwerp, but, unhappily, did 
not arrive until some days after his mother's death. 
He was inconsolable, and for a time he did not paint. 

But he knew that this was unwise, and forced 
himself to go about his work. He painted many 
canvases for the city of Antwerp, the most noted of 
which is his " Descent from the Cross," in the Ant- 
werp Cathedral. 

He never ceased work to the day of his death, in 
1640, and was always full of the joy of living and 
the love of his art. 

APOLLO OF THE BELVEDERE 

One of the noted palaces in the world is the 
Vatican, which belongs to the Pope at Rome. In 
this palace is located a series of art galleries, 
containing a famous collection of paintings and 
statuary. 

In one of these galleries, called the Belvedere, is a 
statue of Apollo, perhaps the finest piece of sculpture 
now known. It was found about three hundred years 
ago near the old town of Antium, a favorite resort 
of the emperors in the old days, and situated but a 
short distance from Rome. It is a copy of a Greek 
statue in bronze. When found, the left hand was 
gone and the right hand somewhat broken. Both 
have been restored by sculptors in accordance with 

104 




Apollo Belvedere — (Vatican, Rome) 



APOLLO 

their best knowledge. No one knows certainly 
what was held in the left hand. It may have been 
his silver bow, from which the god had just dis- 
charged one of his arrows at some evil-doer; or it 
may have been the ?egis, at the sight of which the 
enemies of the god have been turned to stone. In 
either case, the attitude expresses triumph over 
wrong and a touch of contempt for evil-doers. 

The style of workmanship on this statue is so 
like that of the statue of Artemis of Versailles that 
the original may have been done by the same 
Greek artist. 

There are other statues of Apollo in the Vatican, 
and the number of memorials of this favorite god 
erected throughout the ancient Grecian world was 
large. 

A remarkable statue of the sun god was at the 
entrance to a harbor on the island of Rhodes. This 
statue, made of brass, and called one of the Seven 
Wonders of the World, stood with one foot on 
either side of the entrance of the harbor, and was 
over a hundred feet high. An earthquake destroyed 
it, and it was finally broken up and sold. One 
hundred and twenty camels were needed to carry 
away the fragments. 



105 



XIX 

THE PYTHON 

In visiting the earth after he had been received 
on Olympus, Apollo found that a deadly serpent 
called a python had taken up its abode at the foot 
of Mount Parnassus, and that the people were suf- 
fering from the effects of its poisonous breath and 
dying from its bite. Apollo determined to kill the 
python and leave the rays of the sun to purify 
the air and make the place wholesome. After a 
fierce battle, the serpent was destroyed by one of 
Apollo's sharp pointed arrows. 

The people rejoiced greatly at their deliverance 
and brought offerings to Apollo, and decided that 
his victory over the python should be kept in 
remembrance by establishing a festival in honor 
of the god. Apollo is said to have been present in 
person at the first festival and to have awarded the 
prizes, which were wreaths of laurel. Since the 
games were to be held in remembrance of the kill- 
ing of the python, they were called the Pythian 
games, and they occurred near the city of Delphi 
once in four years. There was a hippodrome for 
the chariot races and a stadium for the other races. 

io6 



THE PYTHON 

They were much hke the Olympic games, which 
will be described more fully hereafter. 

The people who had been delivered from the 
scourge of the python were not content to establish 
merely a festival of games in honor of Apollo, but 
wished to build a temple where they might receive 
through an oracle the words of their orod. This 
temple they desired to build at the very center of 
the earth's surface, and they applied to the all- 
powerful Zeus to help them find this spot. In 
answer to their prayer, Zeus sent two eagles, one to 
the farthest eastern bounds of the earth and the other 
to the farthest western, directing that they should fly 
toward each other. They met at a place called 
Delphi, and at this point a temple in honor of 
Apollo was built. 

A curious thing was noticed by some shepherds 
w^ho pastured their goats at the foot of Parnassus. 
When these goats reached a certain place they 
began to skip and caper in a strange way, and when 
the shepherds came to the same spot they them- 
selves acted quite as strangely as the goats had 
done. At this place smoke and fumes were seen to 
rise from a crevice in the earth. This the people 
thought must be the breath of the god, waiting to 
have wise men give it voice. They understood this 
to be a sign that they were to place at Delphi both 
a temple and an oracle. 

The first temple was made by interlacing the 

107 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

boughs of laurel brought from the Vale of Tempe 
(Valley of the Peneus River) and taken from that 
first and sacred laurel-tree which grew up where 
Daphne disappeared when she was pursued by 
Apollo. Later a temple of white marble was built 
and people came with rich gifts, not only from 
all the states of Greece, but from Egypt, Rome and 
other countries, to worship Apollo and to receive 
the wise words believed to be spoken by his oracle. 

These gifts to the temple became numerous and 
valuable, so that the treasure amounted to many 
millions of dollars. Several rich men built sepa- 
rate treasure-houses, in each of which was placed 
only the gifts of the builder. In order to have some 
idea of the wealth thus accumulated in the temple 
it may be mentioned that a reckless Greek general, 
Philomelus of Phocis, once broke into the treasure- 
room of this temple and took from it gold, silver 
and gems worth more than ten million dollars. 

The oracle spoke through the mouth of its priest- 
ess, called the Pythia. She sat upon a high seat sup- 
ported by three legs, called a tripod, which was placed 
over the crevice in the earth from which the vapors 
came. There, on certain days only, she could be 
consulted. The Pythia was selected with great care 
and was held in the highest respect, and was re- 
quired to maintain a purity deserving that respect. 

Before going to the temple she was required to 
bathe in the fountain of Castaha. This was not alone 

1 08 



THE PYTHON 

for bodily purity, but was a spiritual symbol. Nor 
need this be thought either strange or unreasonable. 
The waters of the fountain were from the pure 
snows that fell on the top of Parnassus, the moun- 
tain made sacred by the touch of Apollo's feet 
The snow was melted by the warmth of the sun's 
rays, and spread in a foaming, rainbow-crowned 
cataract in the sacred valley below. Delphi grew 
to be a large city, containing riches and art treas- 
ures. At one time there were crowded into its 
houses and streets more than three thousand statues. 
Temples were built and altars erected to Apollo 
in all the cities of Greece, and he was universally 
loved and worshipped by her people. This is shown 
not only by the number and richness of the temples, 
but also by the beauty of the statues made in his 
honor. 



p^fl, 




109 



XX 

HELIOS AND CLYTIE 

The ancient Greeks believed that the chariot of 
the sun was driven daily across the sky by Apollo. 
They thought that sometimes he was assisted in this 
part of his labors by Helios, whom they called 
Apollo's charioteer. 

It was Helios w^ho owned the oxen that pastured 
on the island of Sicily. Ulysses, during his wan- 
derings, landed on this island, and his companions 
killed some of the oxen. Helios was so angered by 
this that he made complaint to Zeus, and threatened 
to carry the light of the sun to the kingdom of the 
dead, if these reckless men were not punished. 
Zeus sent his thunderbolts and wrecked the ship on 
which Ulysses and his companions were sailing, and 
all on board except Ulysses perished. 

It is with Helios that the myth of Clytie is con- 
nected. Clytie was a nymph of the sea, and lived 
in a beautiful cave under the waters. She traveled 
in a large and many colored shell drawn by two 
shining fishes. Within certain limits, she was per- 
mitted to go quite alone and she greatly enjoyed 
her freedom. 



no 



CLYTIE 

Clyde's home was set with the largest and brightest 
gems that the bountiful sea could furnish, and it must 
have been quite dazzling in its splendor. Her food 
w^as choice enough to satisfy the daintiest palate, 
and her dress of many folds of sea-green silk floated 
out on the water in a most bewitching fashion. A 
necklace of white pearls adorned her breast, and a 
band of red coral encircled her head like a crown, 
while her golden hair streamed out behind as she 
floated through the waters. Moreover, her heart 
was as pure as her form was beautiful. 

In her journeying one day, she was quite startled 
to see above her a brightness of which she had 
never before dreamed. Everything was aglow. 
When she had recovered a little from her first sur- 
prise she began to feel the exquisite beauty of it all, 
and she wondered what produced it. It was all a 
mystery to her, but its strangeness and greatness 
gave her a feeling of deep joy, though touched with 
a fear sufficient to send her back to her home. 

When she arrived at her own chamber, she could 
think undisturbed. Her home and all her personal 
belongings were beautiful, but when compared with 
the glorious light of the sun they seemed common 
indeed. 

Again she journeyed in the direction of her 
former adventure. She went further, and discovered 
far above the waters the golden glory from whence 
proceeded the wonderful light. Many times she 

III 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

went to admire, and finally to worship. Her joy 
and her longing both increased, and one day she 
got out of her sea-shell and sat on the yellow sands 
of a green coast, the better to see the sun, and to 
feel the warmth of its beams. 

Day after day she repeated this, with a constantly 
increasing happiness in life. The kindly king, or 
god, of this new Upper World looked down with love 
and satisfaction on the changed and happy Clytie. 
He said to his attendant seasons, " Would that all 
might thus find the beauty and the greatness in the 
world that lies above them ! This nymph was born to 
the waters and the caves of the sea, but now she 
really lives only in the world of air and light, amidst 
the flowers and their fragrance, the birds and their 
music, and she ever turns her face toward the light 
of the world. I will change her into a flower whose 
looks and actions shall remind men of this lovely 
nymph, Clytie, ever turning her gaze towards the 
sun." 

Thus came the sunflower, to stand as a type of 
loyalty and devotion to the source of light and life. 



112 



XXI 

PHAETHON 

Perhaps Helios is better known to us by the 
story told of his son, Phaethon, than for anything 
that he himself did. This son was earth-born, and 
therefore mortal, his mother, Clymene, being a sea- 
nymph. It is to be feared that this boy had not 
been wisely reared, but we learn that Aphrodite 
favored him and made him keeper of one of the 
temples. This is not strange when we remember 
that Clymene, his mother, and Aphrodite were 
sisters. But it is quite certain that such attention 
turned his head. He boasted constantly that it 
was ichor, the fluid that ran in the veins of the 
gods, and not mere blood, that nourished his body. 
" Mv father is the divine Helios," said the vain 
Phaethon. 

Now when one begins to depend on some one 
else for his greatness and not on his own efforts, it 
is safe to predict his fall. The other young men 
about the temple questioned the parentage of which 
Phaethon boasted, and laughed at his vanity. 

113 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

Nothing is so unpleasant for a vain person to 
hear as ridicule, so Phaethon went to his mother 
for consolation. She did not seem to think that it 
would be wiser for her boy to spend his time in 
doing some good work rather than in boasting of 
his father's greatness, but she suggested that the 
great Palace of the Sun was just adjoining the world 
of waters, and said that he might go there and claim 
his birthright. 

The Palace of the Sun was the work of that great 
artist, Hephaestus. It was supported by immense 
columns, polished and set off with gems ; the ceil- 
ings were of ivory and the entrance-way of silver. 
Helios sat upon a throne of gold, with the Months 
and the Seasons for attendants, while on his head 
he wore a brilliant crown of light. 

When Phaethon spoke, Helios laid aside his 
crown that his son might approach. The welcome 
was most affectionate, and Helios took an oath by 
the dark river Styx that he Vv^ould grant to Phaethon 
his dearest wish. Phaethon at once said, " I wish 
some token by which all the people of earth may 
know that I am your son. Let me, for one day, 
drive the golden chariot." 

This filled the father with surprise and the deep- 
est regret. " Such a wish from any earth-born," he 
said, " I never anticipated, but I must not break my 
oath. Take back your presumptuous wish. The 
task is too great. It was not meant for any mortal. 

114 



PHAETHON 

The horses are fiery and impatient, and the way 
is difficult. I tremble to consider what disasters 
micrht occur if the road were not followed." 

The easy confidence with which Phaethon replied 
leaves no doubt that he was of the earth, for 
ignorance and inexperience ever answer so: "I can 
drive those steeds. Have I not watched the races 
at the Hippodrome ? My eyes are quite as good as 
yours. I shall not lose the way." 

Bound by his oath, Helios permitted his preten- 
tious son to take the reins. 

Quick were those matchless steeds to learn that 
the strength and experience of their master were 
not guiding them. Upward they dashed until the 
stars quivered in the unwonted heat, and then the 
chariot plunged earthward. The mountains smoked, 
lakes and rivers were dried up, every living thing 
was parched, and vast deserts were made. Even the 
ocean god, Poseidon, covered his face with the 
waters to protect it from the fierce heat. 

And now the repentant son had learned how weak 
he was, and cried out to his mother, " Oh, help me ! 
Why did I not heed the advice of my father before 
it was too late.^ " The thunderbolts of Zeus sent 
the foolish youth headlong to his death, and Helios 
resumed the reins. 

The sisters of Phaethon, sitting on the river bank, 
mourned, and their tears, as they dropped, were 
changed to amber. 

115 



XXII 

ADMETUS 

AscLEPius received instruction not only from 
Chiron, but from his father, Apollo, as well. He 
was taught, especially, the art of healing men. So 
successful was he in this, that he was reported to 
have brought the dead to life and for that Zeus 
sent his thunderbolts to destroy him., as we have 
already learned. Apollo loved his son and grieved 
for him, but he also thought his death a great in- 
justice, and this angered him. He knew that the 
thunderbolt that killed Asclepius was forged by the 
Cyclopes, so he shot his silver arrows at them. 

This angered his father, Zeus, who thundered his 
reproofs at Apollo. "Art thou wiser than the all- 
seeing Zeus, and canst thou not await justice at his 
hands ? For this presumption will I punish thee 
until thou knowest true humility. For a year thou 
shalt serve some mortal as a slave." Apollo bowed 
his head to the will of Zeus. 

After Apollo had been sentenced to one year's 
slavery for his rashness in presuming to mete out 
justice to the world instead of leaving it to the great 
Zeus, he sought out Admetus, king of Thessaly, 

ii6 



ADMETUS 

who was one of the company that went with Jason 
in search of the Golden Fleece. 

One day, the king was met by a stalwart young 
laborer, a stranger, who requested, as a favor, that 
he might serve the king for a year in any capacity 
that he desired. The face of the stranger was so 
pleasant and kindly, and his manner so agreeable, 
that the king consented and set his new servant to 
watch his flocks. The other servants told Admetus 
wonderful tales of the new shepherd. They said 
that the cattle and sheep seemed to thrive, and that 
they followed him everywhere. They said, also, that 
strains of beautiful music were heard, but the king 
paid little attention to these stories. He liked his 
new herdsman, who did his work faithfully, and 
they frequently talked together. 

In these conversations, without intending to do 
so, but led to it by the intelligence and sympathy 
of his new servant, the king let it be known that 
he greatly loved Alcestis, daughter of Pelias, king 
of lolchas, and that she returned his affection, but 
that her father refused to consider any suitor for his 
daughter's hand except one who should come to 
him in a chariot drawn by a lion and a boar. Now 
such a team was quite as uncommon in those days 
as it would be in these, so that the suit of Admetus 
seemed altogether hopeless. 

To the surprise of the king, his herdsman said, 
" I will furnish you the team if you will permit." 

117 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

It is not to be supposed that the king would refuse 
such an offer, although he certainly had no more 
hope of seeing the promise fulfilled than any one of 
us would have had if we had been in his place. 

The new servant went into the forest and soon 
met a lion. But strange to say, the lion, instead of 
displaying fierceness, acted as if it had met a much- 
loved master. A boar that the shepherd met be- 
haved in an equally strange way. They followed 
the herdsman back to the palace and permitted 
themselves to be placed in harness before a shining 
chariot. 

Excited servants told the king what had happened. 
He was not long in making his appearance, and 
there he saw the promised team attached to a new 
and beautiful chariot and standing in it, as chariot- 
eer, a tall and powerful man that looked something 
like his new servant, yet did not seem the same. 
The charioteer assured the king that he was now 
ready to take him as a suitor for the hand of 
Alcestis. Admetus did not wait, but like the true 
lover that he was, mounted the chariot at once and 
started upon his journey. 

There was great commotion in the courtyard of 
King Pelias when it was reported that a suitor for 
Alcestis had arrived in a chariot drawn by a lion 
and a boar. Of course, the king would not believe 
it until he had seen with his own eyes, but when he 
found it really true, he could no longer object to 

ii8 



ADMETUS 

the suit of Admetus. So the princess Alcestis and 
King Admetus were soon married, and, we have 
reasons for thinking, deserved all the joy that their 
friends wished for them. 

Kino^ Admetus was not the kind of man to foro^et 
service like this, and the new herdsman was greatly 
honored by both Admetus and Alcestis. Their 
happiness seemed complete, yet it was not unwise 
for Admetus to think of the future. He asked his 
servant if any provision could be made by which, 
in case of sickness, he could be relieved from the 
possibility of death, and the servant said, " I will 
seek an answer to that question from the god 
Apollo through his favorite oracle." 

Some time later he said to King Admetus, " The 
Fates have decreed that you may be spared death 
on condition that some one else consents to die in 
your stead." When the king thought of the large 
number of people who professed to love him so 
dearly, he felt entirely at ease about the future. 

When the year of the herdsman's service came to 
an end, the king wished to retain him. He was 
about to speak to him on the subject, when, instead 
of his servant, he beheld a nobleman, wearing the 
helmet and plumes of a warrior and covered with 
golden armor. In his hand he held a silver bow 
and a golden quiver of arrows hung at his back. 

The king showed his great surprise and this was 
the explanation he heard : " Yes, King Admetus, I 

119 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

am the God of the Silver Bow, condemned, for my 
presumption, to a year of service among men. I 
have tried to serve you faithfully, and I have learned 
from you and your people how pleasant it is to 
render others good service." 

There was a rolling of wheels, a flashing of 
golden colors from a chariot, the prancing of horses, 
and he was gone. " True nobility cannot long be 
hidden," said Admetus, as he turned to his lovely 
Alcestis. 




I20 



XXIII 
DAPHNE 

Apollo had recently killed the deadly python and 
that, you will remember, was his first great battle. 
His silver bow was new and powerful. He should 
be forgiven, then, if he felt somewhat exalted and 
thought highly of himself. It was at this time that he 
noticed the lad Eros with his bow and ivory quiver 
and he said to him with a haughty air, " What 
have you, saucy boy, to do with weapons of war? 
Leave them for stronger and more worthy hands." 

Eros was, on the whole, a good-natured and de- 
lightful lad, but he did not relish either the words 
or the tone of Apollo. He thought a lesson in 
humility might not be amiss for even the Lord of 
the Silver Bow, and perhaps to have it taught by 
a " saucy boy " might further impress the lesson. 
Very quietly Eros took from his quiver a sharp- 
pointed arrow and sent it at Apollo, and then 
aimed one tipped with lead at the beautiful maiden 
Daphne, who was wandering by the river Peneus 
in the Vale of Tempe. 

Apollo soon saw the maiden and was much 
pleased with her. The more he saw of her the 

121 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

stronger became his liking. He determined to 
approach her. Daphne who saw him coming was 
afraid and fled. Apollo followed, and now, no 
doubt, felt that he loved her. He called, " Daphne, 
do not fear, I will not harm you." 

These words from a stranger only added to her 
fear and she quickened her pace. That must have 
been a chase to be remembered ! Eros, nicely 
hidden, laughed in the satisfaction of his good- 
natured revenge. 

But it is not to be supposed that Daphne, a 
maiden, could outrun the fleet Apollo. She soon 
saw it was impossible to escape and she called to 
the river god, " O Father Peneus, help me ! " Nor 
was her prayer in vain. A friendly cloud enveloped 
the maiden, and when it disappeared, even the eyes 
of Apollo could not find hen He had time now 
to reflect, " How thoughtless and foolish of me ! 
Naturally Daphne would think so rash a course 
could mean nothing but harm to her. It was 
womanly in her to try to escape. So should she 
guard her virtue and her worth. I shall always 
love her the more sincerely for it." 

And now he saw what before he had not noticed. 
Where Daphne disappeared there stood a beautiful 
laurel-tree. After a moment, Apollo said, " Here- 
after the laurel shall be sacred to the memory of 
Daphne and all true maidenhood. It shall be 
used about my temples and wreaths of its branches 

122 



DAPHNE 

shall be given the winners in all contests in my 
honor." 

Not only was this done, but in many Greek cities, 
especially at Thebes, there was held once in nine 
years a great festival in honor of Daphne. The 
procession was headed by a lad who was chosen 
priest each year, and was called the Bay-bearer. 
He was chosen from one of the best families, and 
was strong and handsome. His sunny hair was 
long and a golden crown was on his head. He 
w^ore a magnificent robe that reached down to his 
feet and he carried a branch of laurel. Behind hnn 
came a maiden choir followed by a great number 
of boys, each bearing laurel branches. 

In this procession was also carried an olive-tree, 
to show that Zeus was not forgotten ; but inter- 
twined with its boughs were branches and flowers 
of laurel. The lower part of this tree was sur- 
rounded by a purple veil, inside of which were sus- 
pended brass globes to represent the sun and 
planets. Within the same enclosure were hung 
three hundred and sixty-five purple garlands. 

To still further honor this event in the life of 
Apollo, the people of Delphi, once in nine years, 
selected a lad, called the Sacred Boy, and sent him 
to the Vale of Tempe, to get boughs from the 
laurel-tree. This boy was also called Bay-bearer, 
and on his return was received with great joy by a 
chorus of maidens. 



123 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

THE PICTURE OF DAPHNE AND APOLLO 

By Francesco Albani (i^yS-ibbo) 

In this picture we see Apollo following and 
pleading with Daphne to stop, and we imagine 
that queer old god, Pan, may be just out of sight, 
at the left, behind the laural-tree with his friendly 
cloud ; while at the right we see the smiling, mis- 
chievous Cupid, who caused it all. 

This picture was painted by Francesco Albani, 
son of a silk merchant of Bologna, Italy. His 
father wished his son to become a merchant, but 
Francesco loved nothing so well as art, and his 
father, at last, consented to have him placed in the 
studio of a painter. With this artist at that time 
was Guido Reni, a lad who afterward became 
famous. For many years these two young men 
were great friends, each helping the other by a 
good-natured rivalry. 

While still a young man, Albani went to Rome, 
and there opened a studio. He was greatly pleased 
by the Greek myths as they were told by Ovid, and 
he painted many pictures to illustrate them. 

Albani had a pleasant home in the city of Bologna, 
with a wife and twelve children who became his 
models. Here he spent his later years, always 
happy in his work in which he continued until he 
was nearly eighty-two years old. 



124 



XXIV 

HYACINTHUS 

Apollo's love for human society and his sorrow 
at their misfortunes are shown in the story of 
Hyacinthus. This young man was a favorite of 
the god. The lyre was often left untouched that 
Apollo might go fishing and hunting with his friend, 
a prince not unworthy of such favor. 

One day, w^hen the two were tired of hunting, 
they began a game of quoits. It was Apollo's 
throw and the quoit went swiftly toward the goal. 
Hyacinthus, eager for his cast, stood so near that 
the quoit bounded and struck him with great force. 
Apollo quickly ran to the help of his friend, but the 
hurt was fatal. The sympathy, the sorrow, and even 
the prayers of the great god Apollo were powerless 
to save the life of his friend. He grieved deeply, and 
finally, at the command of the god, there sprang up 
a beautiful purple flower, named in honor of Hya- 
cinthus and given us to suggest how the tenderest 
and most sincere love for man may dwell in the 
heart of a god. 

125 



XXV 

ARIST^US 

People of today obtain all kinds of confections so 
easily and cheaply that they can hardly understand 
the great value that people of ancient days placed 
on honey, their one and only sweet. The Greeks 
believed that Apollo had placed honey in the 
flowers, and had instructed his son Aristaeus to 
teach men the proper care of bees. The story of 
Aristaeus is very interesting. 

When he grew to be a young man, he became 
much charmed with a beautiful woman, Eurydice. 
Whether he really annoyed her with his attentions 
seems hard to learn. Be that as it may, Eurydice 
believed herself to be pursued, and in trying to 
escape, she ran through a meadow in which there 
lurked a snake that bit her. She died from the 
poison of the bite. The grief thus caused must be- 
told in another tale. 

Aristaeus was interested in cattle and insects, espe- 
cially in bees. He found many swarms in hollow 
trees and learned their peculiar ways and how to 
handle them, something that might well be thought 
to require divine teaching. After he had procured 

126 



ARIST.EUS 

many swarms and believed himself ready to produce 
a good deal of honey, the bees all died and he 
could find no cause. 

He went to his mother, Cyrene, a sea-nymph, 
to ask what he should do. The waters opened 
to let him pass and his mother and her sea friends 
gave him a banquet of sea dainties before she ex- 
plained, " There is a wise Old Man of the Sea, called 
Proteus, a great favorite of Poseidon, who has charge 
of his sea-calves, or seals. All nymphs have great 
respect for his wisdom. He knows the past and 
can see far into the future. Go to him, but bear in 
mind that he never answers questions if he can 
avoid it. He can assume any shape he pleases 
and sometimes he seems most frightful and danger- 
ous, but if you have the courage to seize and hold 
him fast, he will answer your inquiry." She then 
sprinkled nectar in blessing over her son and he was 
surprised at the added strength and hope it gave him. 

Aristaeus hid himself in a cave by the sea, until 
Proteus came out on the warm sand and lay down 
for his midday nap. As soon as the Old Man 
of the Sea had fallen asleep Aristaeus grasped 
him firmly, and immediately a scorching flame 
seemed to encircle him, but he remembered his 
mother's words and held fast ; then a flood of water 
was about to swallow him up, still he remembered 
and held on ; then a wild beast appeared, threaten- 
ing to tear him in pieces with teeth and claws, but 

127 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

he did not loosen his grip. Proteus then assumed 
his proper form and asked, " What would you have 
with me, bold youth ? I assume these various forms 
only to test your sincerity. Those who yield their 
hold are but triflers." 

Aristaeus answered, " That you know already. 
My bees are all dead and I seek the aid of your 
wisdom to tell me the reason, and especially do I 
wish to know what the gods would have me do to 
make me acceptable in thejr sight." 

The Old Man of the Sea paused before he made 
answer : " Your folly caused the death of the pure- 
minded, sweet-hearted Eurydice, and the sea-nymphs 
wish her death avenged. Bring four of the most 
perfect oxen you can find and offer them on four 
different altars which you shall erect in some leafy 
grove. Then pay proper funeral honors to Euryd- 
ice and her husband, and after nine days come 
again." 

After Aristaeus had done as he was told he re- 
turned and found a swarm of bees occupying a 
cavity in an unburnt part of one of the oxen. He 
watched them awhile, and they finally permitted 
him to carry them to his home and place them in a 
hive where he could care for them. Thus Aristaeus 
became again the Bee-keeper. 



128 



XXVI 
APOLLO AND THE LYRE 

Hermes, son of Zeus, was a remarkable child. 
Handsome and strong he was, of course. That 
would be expected. But it is what he knew and 
could do, all untaught, that was most surprising. 
The first day of his life he clambered out of his 
cradle and toddled down to the sea-beach near by 
and found a cast-off shell. Then he pulled up 
grasses and fastened them across it so cunningly, 
that when he breathed over them or touched them 
as he knew how to do, the result was sweet music. 

But this was not all that he did on the first day 
of his life. On the way back to his mother's cave 
he saw some of Apollo's white cows. He thought 
it would be great sport to hide them and see what 
his big brother would do. He gathered fifty of 
them, and, to disguise their tracks, he put shoes 
made of twigs on their feet. To make the task of 
finding them more troublesome, he forced them to 
go backward into a cave, where he fastened them' 
securely. When this was done he clambered into 
his cradle again. But the day was not yet finished. 

129 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

While this baby played on his newly-made lyre 
Apollo was hunting for his missing cow^s. No one 
of whom he inquired had seen them, until he met a 
very old man, who, in reply to Apollo's questions, 
said, "It seems to me I did. Were they all white ? '* 
"Yes," answered Apollo. "Then," said he, " I'm sure 
I saw them. They were driven by the strangest 
little fellow, fat and roguish, but a mere baby." " I 
know who is making the trouble," said Apollo. He 
knew but a part of the tricks of this day-old baby. 

He went directly to the cave of Maia, the mother 
of Hermes, saying to himself on the way, " I'll put a 
stop to this mischief at once. And that youngster, 
born only this morning ! But I'll teach him a 
lesson." As he was about to enter the cave he 
heard sounds of sweet music, and he stopped to 
listen. Apollo had reason to think that he was 
something of a musician himself. He had heard 
the music of the spheres, and had led the Muses in 
their songs on Olympus; but what he now heard 
was sweeter than any music that he had ever 
listened to before, and it moved him strangely. He 
forget his anger and entered the cave, finding the 
little Hermes sitting innocently in his cradle with a 
sea shell in his hands. 

In gentle tones Apollo asked, " What music did 

^I hear as I entered?" Hermes held up his shell. 

"Will you play for me again?" said Apollo. Hermes 

did so, and his brother was convinced. " Teach me," 

130 




"■fiTHfaf-'fliWi a r.M' fTurif r -t n m-snmui 

Apollo Musagetes 



APOLLO AND THE LYRE 

begged Apollo. " What will 3'ou give me ? " asked 
the shrewd little fellow. " I will give you," said his 
brother, " a most beautiful staff with such magic 
power that anger, ill-will and bitterness, when 
touched by it, shall be changed to gentleness and 
love." This satisfied the boy, and then followed a 
wonderful lesson, — the sweetness and simplicity of 
a child transformed into music by the skilled fingers 
of a god. 

Apollo took the lyre and has ever since been its 
master. The little Hermes received his promised 
staff, and after his brother's departure went out to 
find something on which he could try it. He found 
two angry snakes. He touched them with his staff, 
and instantly their anger was gone and they twined 
themselves lovingly about it, and there you may 
still see them pictured if you look in the dictionary 
for the word caduceus. 

APOLLO MUSAGETES 

About one hundred years after the days of 
Pheidias there lived in the city of Athens an artist 
by the name of Scopas. He made many excellent 
statues and built in the city of Halicarnassus a 
large and beautiful tomb for Artemisia, queen of 
Caria, in honor of her husband, Mausolus. This 
tomb was called a mausoleum. 

One of the statues made by this artist was of 
Apollo as a musician. This statue has been lost 

131 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

but it is believed that a statue found in the villa of 
Cassius, in 1774, is a copy from the work of Scopas, 
and this is now carefully preserved in the Vatican 
in Rome. 

The picture shows the god crowned with laurel, 
playing on a cithern and advancing rapidly, as we 
see by the position of his robes. He is enjoying 
the music of his instrument and we are sure that 
just behind him, but not yet in sight, are those 
sweet voiced singers, the Muses. 




132 



XXVII 

ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE 

Apollo greatly loved one of the Muses by the 
name of Calliope, and to them was born a son 
whom they named Orpheus. His father gave him 
a lyre and taught him to play on it. 

Orpheus became a poet also and wrote the songs 
he sang, accompanied with his lyre. The hardest 
hearts were moved when they heard his songs 
mingled with the tones of his lyre. Birds came 
to listen ; wild beasts forgot their fierceness ; trees 
threw themselves to the ground so that they might 
approach nearer to the music, and even stones 
were softened by the sounds. 

Orpheus married Eurydice, a nymph, but a bride 
as noble, sweet and beautiful as such a bridegroom 
deserved. Soon after their marriage, Eurydice was 
frightened by what she thought were the evil and 
rude approaches of Aristaeus, and as she ran from 
him she was bitten by a snake concealed in the 
grass and died from the effects of the bite. 

With song and lyre Orpheus chanted the sad 
story of his grief to both men and gods, but it 
availed not to bring his wife from the regions of 

133 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

the dead. Then, armed only with his lyre, he 
descended to the realm of Hades. Charon and the 
three-headed dog Cerberus could not resist the per- 
suasive power of his music. He entered the palace 
of Hades. While he sang and played, the tortures 
of Tartarus ceased and all pain and agony stopped. 
Tears of sympathy were on the cheeks of even 
Hades himself, and Eurydice was given permission 
to return with her husband on condition that they 
should not speak, and that Orpheus should go 
before her and not look back until they were out 
of the Kingdom of the Dead. But, just before they 
reached the Upper World, Orpheus became so un- 
certain as to whether Eurydice were really following 
him that he turned to look. It was his last sight 
of Eurydice. She was forced to return to Hades, 
and Orpheus to the earth. 

He tried again to enter the Kingdom of the Dead, 
but Charon refused him passage. After waiting for 
days at the brink of the world of light he came hope- 
lessly away. Many tried in vain to console him. 
At last the Thracian maidens became so angry 
because he paid no heed to them that they tnrew 
spears and stones at him. When these weapons 
came within sound of his lyre they turned from their 
course and fell harmless at his feet. Finally, some 
ugly old hags joined the maidens in the attack and 
set up such an outcry that the music of the lyre was 
drowned, and a missile struck and killed him. 

134 




Orpheus, Eurydice, and Hekmes 



ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE 

The Muses tenderly took his body and buried it 
in a grove where the nightingale sings his softest 
and sweetest notes. His shade went to Hades' 
kingdom and found Eurydice, where, undisturbed, 
they wander happily together, without fear of punish- 
ment for an anxious, loving glance. 



A MARBLE PICTURE OF ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE 

Some Athenian sculptor, whose name we do not 
know, many years ago carved one of the scenes of 
this story on a marble slab and made it worth its 
weight in gold. Eurydice stands with one hand 
placed caressingly on her husband's shoulder while 
his hand is placed gently on hers as they look into 
each other's faces, trying to gain the courage to say 
that last good-bye. Hermes, without wings on cap 
or heel now, stands and waits in sympathy until, at 
last, he is obliged to take the hand of Eurydice to 
remind her that it is his duty to lead her back to 
the Kingdom of the Dead. 

This marble slab may be seen in the National 
Museum at Naples, Italy. 



135 



XXVIII 

NIOBE 

So many years ago that no one pretends to re- 
member, there was a mortal son of Zeus, called 
Tantalus, who lived in Lydia, Asia Minor, and was 
very highly favored by the gods. He sat with them 
at their table and feasted on nectar and ambrosia, 
and thereby became immortal. 

But this mortal was much like other mortals we 
have known. Such favors from the great only be- 
trayed the shallowness of his nature and made him 
unbearably vain. He thought himself quite as 
powerful and even wiser than some of the gods, 
and he said so to them plainly. 

Zeus at last decided that this insolence should no 
longer be endured, and he hurled Tantalus down to 
Tartarus, where he would be humbled and punished. 
There he still stands in water up to his lips, but 
when he stoops to drink it sinks and escapes him, 
leaving him as thirsty as ever. Ripe, luscious fruit 
hangs just over his head, but when he puts up his 
hand to pluck it, he can touch it only with his finger 
tips, no matter how high he reaches, and his hunger 
is unsatisfied, — a position very tantalizing indeed. 

136 



NIOBE 

This presuming man had a daughter named 
Niobe, who was beautiful and very pleasant in 
many ways, but it was found that she had inherited 
some of her father's faults. 

Among the favorites of Zeus was Antiope, daugh- 
ter of the king of Thebes. They had a son named 
Amphion. While Amphion was but a little child 
a cruel uncle of his mother had him secretly taken 
up into the mountains and placed in the home 
of a shepherd. There he grew up supposing the 
shepherd to be his father. But Amphion was cared 
for by Hermes, who taught him many things, but 
especially to play sweetly on the lyre. After a time 
Amphion learned who his parents were; and returned 
to Thebes, becoming king. He set about making 
the city beautiful by building a palace, and render- 
ing it safe by erecting a wall about it. It was not 
necessary to have workmen build up the walls, as 
Amphion played such wondrous music on his lyre 
that the stones placed themselves until the work 
was completed. 

Niobe married this musical king of Thebes, and 
in time there were born to them seven stalwart 
sons and seven beautiful daughters, a family that 
might make any father and mother justly proud, 
but not necessarily foolish. But Niobe seemed 
to lack wisdom in some things, and this was 
shown in her habit of boasting of the great deeds 
of her sons and the beauty of her daughters, 

137 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

although other people thought them nothing re- 
markable. Some even said the sons were lazy 
and that the daughters spent most of their time 
lounging on couches in the court and making poor 
music on the lyre. 

But such people as Niobe learn nothing except 
from the severest schoolmasters. Her vanity 
increased day by day. She never thought of the 
presuming Arachne, nor had she learned discretion 
from the fate of her father. While a festival in 
honor of Leto, the mother of those wonderful twins, 
Artemis and Apollo, was in progress, Niobe looked 
very sullen and said, " Why should Leto receive 
such honors ? She is the mother of but two chil- 
dren, while I have fourteen, and they are just as 
beautiful as hers ! Why should not Thebes erect 
an altar to me, their queen .^^ " Thus did she show 
her folly and her lack of respect for the gods. 

Leto was both angry and grieved and made a 
complaint to Zeus, who said, '* Such prating folly 
and irreverence must be checked. It cannot injure 
the gods, but it will degrade men. This woman 
shall learn something." The sky became black 
with the frown of the god, and terribly flew the 
zigzag lightning. Niobe tried to protect her chil- 
dren from the deadly darts, but in vain. They all 
perished. Even the kindly Apollo felt that only 
justice had been done. Niobe's repentance and 
weeping came too late. It is said that Zeus changed 

138 




NiOBE AND Her Youngest Daughter 



NIOBE 



her into stone, but that her tears continued to flow 
and became a fountain. We can often see the 
sculptor's work in the form of this very human but 
fooHsh mother. 



SORROWING NIOBE AND HER YOUNGEST DAUGHTER 
PICTURED IN MARBLE 

If Niobe, the proud queen of Thebes, had stopped 
by simply being proud of her seven sons and seven 
daughters, little trouble would have come of it ; but 
she did not, and we have seen what the conse- 
quences were. Too late the foolish and wicked 
mother saw her own wrong-doing and tried to pro- 
tect her children from the punishment justly due to 
her own wickedness. Her sons were dead and all 
her daughters also except the youngest, who sought 
protection at the hands of her mother. 

In the picture we see only these two. The 
mother is looking up into the heavens where she 
sees the face of the angry god, while her heart 
utters a hopeless prayer for her children. 

The original statue pictured here was one of a 
large group, probably made by a Greek sculptor, 
either Scopas or Praxiteles, for a temple of Apollo 
in Asia Minor, and later, copied by a Roman 
sculptor. That copy is now in the Ufifizi gallery 
at Florence, where may be seen some of the oldest 
examples of Greek sculpture. 

139 



XXIX 

ECHO AND NARCISSUS 

The family of nymphs was very large. Some 
were water-nymphs and some were wood-n3^mphs, 
but all were gay and jolly, most of them very pretty, 
and they chatted in a bright and interesting way. 
Even Zeus loved to rest himself listening to their 
prattle and watching them in their beautiful dances. 
Queen Hera never seemed to have quite understood 
her husband, and she did some very foolish things. 
We fear that jealousy sometimes had much to do 
with her conduct. 

One of the nymphs that constantly attended Ar- 
temis was Echo. She was very active and loved 
the woods and the chase, but loved the rivers also 
and often rested in the shade on their banks. She 
was thus resting one day when the haughty Hera 
accompanied by her peacock was about to cross the 
stream. Echo knew that the queen was in search 
of Zeus, and that he was not far away in the com- 
pany of some merry nymphs. She knew, too, that 
it would be quite as well for all concerned that Hera 
should not reach her destination too quickly. Hence 

140 



ECHO AND NARCISSUS 

Echo beo^an talkino; about the water and the flowers 
and the beauty of the peacock's tail, and thus de- 
tained her. 

When Hera reached the nymphs, Zeus was not 
there, but Hera felt sure that he had been there very 
recently. So, when she passed Echo on her return, 
Hera was not in good humor and understood why 
she had been detained before. " You chatterbox, 
you are ever using your tongue when it were far 
better that it rest. Hereafter you shall say only 
the last words that you hear. Out of my sight ! " 
Poor, frightened Echo waited no second telling. 

It must be confessed that Echo had been quite 
willing to do most of the talking and had not done 
very serious thinking, but in both these respects 
she has a deal of company, and Hera's punishment 
w^as very severe indeed. 

In this same forest there frequently wandered a 
beautiful youth, Narcissus, whose mother was also 
a nymph, and it was quite natural that he would be 
friendly with Echo and her companions. But he 
was not, and thought them quite beneath his notice. 
He greatly admired one person, and spent much 
time in looking at the reflection he saw when he 
gazed into little pools and still waters. It was his 
own vanity, and not any fault that he saw in Echo 
and the other nymphs, that made him refuse to 
stop to chat with them when he met them in the 
forest. 



141 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

This did not prevent Echo from greatly loving 
Narcissus and following him. He saw her once 
after her punishment by Hera and haughtily said, 
" What do I care if you do love me ? " " Do love 
me," was all the sad voice of Echo could reply. 
" Can you not see ? " said the youth. " Not see," 
replied the nymph. " You must be very stupid," 
said he. " Very stupid," said she. " I wish you would 
leave me forever," he said again. The only reply 
was, " Leave me forever." He turned from her, 
and poor Echo pined away until she was a mere 
shadow. 

Not all the nymphs were so gentle with him. 
Some told him he was but a bundle of silly pride 
that wore good clothes. Others asked him if he 
thought what he saw reflected in the smooth water 
was a picture of Apollo. One nymph was angry, 
and asked the gods to punish the haughty youth. 

We may believe it was the gods who did it or that 
it was the result of his own folly, but punished he 
was, for he could find no one he thought good 
enough to be his companion, and for very loneliness, 
he pined away and died. \ - 

One sympathetic nymph cried, " Surely he is not 
dead," and Echo, now only a voice, repeated, " Not 
dead." In that hope, perhaps, she still is seeking 
for her love. When the shade of Narcissus reached 
the rivers Acheron and Styx he had the fee for old 
Charon, probably furnished him by his mother ; but, 

142 



ECHO AND NARCISSUS 

as he crossed these waters, he still gazed at the 
picture he saw over the side of the boat. 

The nymphs made a funeral pyre for the body of 
Narcissus and gathered his ashes and put them into 
a sacred urn. The next day, when they passed 
where his ashes had been they saw a new plant. 
They watched it until it blossomed. When they 
saw the color of the flower they thought it must be 
for Narcissus, and so gave it that name. 




143 



XXX 

MIDAS 

In Asia Minor was the country of Phrygia. In 
early times, when kings were selected in a rather 
strange way, there came into the chief city of that 
country a laborer named Gordius in a queer old 
cart drawn by a pair of oxen. The people liked the 
stranger, and after a time chose him king. As he 
no longer needed the cart, he gave it to the god 
who had so favored him. Gordius took it to a 
place near the temple where he tied it very securely, 
thinking, perhaps, that it would be as well to make 
it impossible for some one else to ride in it to such 
good fortune as had fallen to him. He feared that 
such a one would overthrow him. 

Many people had tried to untie this knot and failed. 
Finally it was foretold by an oracle that whoever 
should succeed would become " Lord of Asia." 
When Alexander the Great came through Gordium 
he heard of this curious puzzle. After trying for 
some time to untie the knot, he simply cut it with 
his sword. As he really did become ruler of most 
of Asia, many people thought he took the simplest 
way of untying the " Gordian Knot." 

144 



MIDAS 

We learn very little more about Gordlus except 
that he had a son, Midas, who became king after 
his father. Now this son seems to have had very 
little of his father's good luck, unless it be that he 
was his father's son and thereby became a king. 

There was a very ancient god. Pan, who was 
worshipped by some of the earlier, ruder people. 
He lived in caves and wandered through the 
woods and groves at night in the light of the 
moon. He danced with the nymphs to music of 
his own making. He had queer, shaggy, goat-like 
legs that ended in hoofs instead of feet, but the 
nymphs had become used to his strange appearance 
and did not mind it. Perhaps the old fellow was 
really a very good dancer and did not tread on the 
robes or the toes of the nymphs, neither did they 
care for the horns that sfrew from his forehead. 
His music was made by blowing upon reeds which 
were called pipes. This instrument w^as a very 
rude affair, but some of the people of Pan's day 
thought it quite musical; but many were so much 
frightened either by his strange appearance or the 
noise of his pipes, or by both, that they ran wdldly 
away. So, w^hen people of today are very much 
frightened, we say they are in 2i pan-\c, 

Midas said that he had heard both Apollo and 
Orpheus, yet he frequently boasted of the fine 
quality of Pan's music. This certainly showed a 
great lack of musical cultivation or of common sense. 

145 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

At last, with Midas as judge, a contest was ar- 
ranged between Pan and Apollo, with the assent of 
the latter, who thought it an excellent joke. As 
was expected, Midas gave his decision in favor 
of Pan. Soon after, the wife of Midas made a 
startling discovery. Her husband's ears were long 
and hairy like those of a donkey. Of course, she 
would not wish it to be known, but she so longed 
to tell some one that she whispered it to the reeds 
that grew down by the river, and they whispered it 
to the winds who have always been great gossips, 
and thus it was soon noised abroad. Most people 
said it was the foolish decision in the musical con- 
test that caused the ears to grow, but a few- discern- 
ing ones surmised that his ears had always been 
like that, and that the fact had just been discovered. 











146 



XXXI 

THE GOLDEN TOUCH 

SiLENUS was a queer old fellow who did some 
silly things, as well as many that were wise. By 
some people he was called a river god, while others 
thought him but a foolish man. Between these two 
opinions, one does not need to decide, but the fact 
is that he was a kindly and wise old man who had 
become a victim to the bad habit of drinking too 
much wine. 

This old fellow was the teacher of Bacchus, the 
wine god, which may explain some things not be- 
fore clear about this god. One day Silenus, after 
indulging heavily in his favorite beverage, appeared 
at the palace of King Midas with bunches of grapes 
wreathed about his bald head. The King knew 
him, and was kind enough to care for him. In fact, 
he showed great hospitality, and for ten days there 
were lively times at the palace. Midas then took 
Silenus home, both being greatly pleased, if not 
greatly improved. 

In the meantime, Bacchus had been seeking 
evervwhere for his friend and one-time teacher, and 
when Silenus returned he was greatly pleased with 

147 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 

the conduct of King Midas and told him so, saying, 
" Make known your dearest wish. King Midas, and 
it shall be granted. " 

Midas was a very rich man, and in one of the 
strongest rooms of his palace he had a great iron 
box filled with gold coins, gold dust and gold bars. 
He loved to go there all alone and handle the coins, 
lift the bars, and sift the gold dust between his 
fingers. His answer to Bacchus, then, will not be 
surprising. " I have been told, O Bacchus," he said, 
" that there is a power that will turn into gold 
everything one touches. Give me but the golden 
touch and I shall be content." Bacchus had heard 
strange things in his time, but this surprised even 
him. " Are you quite sure that this will satisfy 
you ? " he said. Midas, thrilled with the hope that 
his wish might be granted, eagerly made answer. 
" I am sure of it, good Bacchus," he said. Immedi- 
ately his clothes became a glittering mass of yellow 
gold, the chair he touched, the fruit he gathered, the 
flowers he plucked, the great column he leaned 
against, all were changed to gold. His joy knew no 
bounds. He ordered the most splendid banquet 
that could be prepared. 

When he seated himself on his couch in the ban- 
quet room it became hard, yellow gold. The food 
looked good. He put it to his mouth. It, too, was 
changed to gold. He Was thirsty. His servant 
passed him the choicest wine. He placed it to his 

148 



THE GOLDEN TOUCH 

lips only to find it liquid gold. Others ate and 
drank but he could only starve or die of thirst. 
Now he understood the last inquiry of Bacchus. 
He himself was powerless to change his fate. Could 
a eod undo what once was done ? With arms raised 
above his long hair that had turned to threads of 
gold, he called on Bacchus, " Oh take from me this 
hated gift, and let me be the man I was before I 
prayed for the Golden Touch." The god gave heed, 
and turned merciful eyes toward the miserable king. 
' Go to the spring that is the source of the Pacto- 
lus River and take a pitcher with you. Bathe 
yourself in that spring and it will wash away that 
power you so lately craved but so soon learned to 
hate. Bring water from the spring with you and 
sprinkle all that you have touched and everything 
will be as it was wont to be. Omit even one small 
thing and you shall meet an awful fate." The King 
must have been very careful to obey, for to this day 
gold is mingled with the sands of that river. 
Whether this experience gave King Midas wisdom 
we know not, nor whether his ears became shorter 
and less hairy we have never learned, but let us 
hope that he lived to know that there were other 
things more valuable than gold and other music 
sweeter than that made by the hairy old god, Pan. 



149 



Index and Glossary 



Ach'e-ron, river in Hades, xviii 
A-chiries(a-kiries), 59, 60 ; armor ' 

of, 63, 64, j^ i 

A-crop'o-lis, a famous citadel of 

Athens, 7, 40, 43 ; plan of, 44 ; 

view of, 44 
Ad-me'tus, king of Thessaly, 

1 1 6-1 20 
A-do'nis, 82 
^'gis, 38 

^-ne'as, Trojan prince, B>^ 
y^-e'tes, king, 60 
^-thi-o'pi-ans, xvii 
Al'a-ric, a chief of the Goths, 50 
Al-ba'ni Fran-ces'co, artist, 124 

Al-cam'e-nes, a Grecian sculp- 
tor, 6?> 

Al-ces'tis, 1 1 7-1 20 

Al-cin'o-us, 60 

Al-ex-an'der, king of Mac'e-don, 
144 

Am-al-the'a, a goat, 3 ; picture 
of, II 

Am-phi'on, 137 

An-chi'ses (an-ki'ses), ^$ 

An-ti'o-pe, 137 

An'ti-um, 104 

Aph'ro-di-te (Ve'nus), queen of 
love and beauty, 61, 66] 
statue of, 68 ; equipping 
Eros, 69; picture of, 70; yj, 
79, 82, 86, 91, 92, 94, 96, 1 13 



A-pol'lo, 98 ; of the Belvedere, 
104; statue of, 104; and the 
python, 106; 109, no, 116, 
121, 122, 123, 125, 126; and 
the lyre, 129, 130, 131; Mu- 
sagetes, 131, 132 ; 133, 138 

Apple of Discord, 78 

A-rach'ne (a-rak'ne), 52, 55 

Ar-is-tae'us, 126, 128, 133 

Ar'te-mis (Di-a'na), sister of 
Apollo, 98; statue of, 105 

Ar-te-mis'ia, queen of Caria, 
131 

As-cle'pi-us, son of Apollo, 100, 
116 

Asia Minor, a country of West- 
ern Asia, 31 

At-a-lan'ta, 73 ; race with Hip- 
pomenes, JS 

Ath'ens, city in Greece, 6, 9, 21, 
42 

A-the'ne (Mi-ner'va), goddess of 
wisdom, 36; birth of, 37; 
statue of, 38 ; contest with 
Poseidon, 40, 41, 42, 43; 
temple of, 42 ; old statue of, 
47; 54, S7^ 79, 80, 81 

Ath-e-nae'a,_ festival of Athene, 
43 

At'las, a Titan, 4, 5 

At'ro-pos, 83 

A-ver'nus, poisonous lake, xviii 



151 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 



Bac'CHUS same as Dionysus 
Bay-bearer, 123 
Bau'cis, 31 

Bellini (bel-le'ne), artist, 70 
Bel've-dere, 104 

Burne-Jones, Sir Edward, artist, 
94, 95, 96 

CA-do're, valley of 

Ca-du'ce-us, 131 

Cal-li'o-pe, one of the Muses, 

133 
Ca-noVa, a famous sculptor, 27 
Cap-ri-cor'nus, 11 
Car'thage, city, 8 s 
Cas-ta'li-a, fountain of, 108 
Cau'ca-sus, mountains, 19, 21 
Ce'crops, first king of Athens, 40 
Cel'la, enclosed part of a temple, 

46 
Cer'be-rus, three headed dog in 

Hades, xviii, 93, 134 
Chal-de'a (kal-de'a), a country 

in Asia, 82 
Cha'ron (ka'ron), ferryman on 

the river Styx, xix, 93, 134 
Cha'ron and Psy'che, picture 

of, 95 
Chi'ron (ki'ron), yS, 99, 100 
Ci'mon, Greek general, 45 
Clo'tho, 83 

Clym'e-ne, a sea-nymph, 113 
Clytie (klish'i-e), a sea-nymph, 

no, III, 112 
Co-cy'tus, river in Hades, xix 
Co-pen-ha'gen, 26, 27 
Creation, i 
Crete (kret), island of, 3 



Cu'pid same as E'ros 

Cy-clo'pes, 61 

Cy-re'ne, a sea-nymph, 127 

Daph'ne, 108, 121, 122, 123 
Daphne and Apollo, picture of, 

124 
David, J a q u e s (da-ved zhak), 

Louis, French painter, 6^ 
De'los, an island, 98, 102 
DeFphi, city of, xvi, 106, 107, 

109 
De-me'ter (Ce'res), sister of 

Zeus, 5, II 
Deu-ca'li-on, son of Prometheus, 

20, 29, 30 
Di'do, Queen of Carthage, 85 
Di-o'ne, a nymph, 99 
Di-o-ny'sus (Bac'chus), god of 

wine, 147, 148, 149 
Do-do'na, forest of, xvii, 29, 30 

Ech'o, 140, 141, 142 

El'gin, Lord, 51 

E'lis, country in Greece, 30 

E-lys'ian Fields, xvii, 5 

Ep-i-me'theus, a Titan, brother 

of Prometheus, 4, 23 
E-pi'rus, a country in Greece, 29 
E-rech-thei'on, temple of Erech- 

theus, 44, 49 
E-rech'theus, king of Athens, 

43, 47, 49 
E'ris, goddess of discord, 79 
E'ros (Cupid), 58, 82, 86 
Eros and Psyche (si'ke), picture 

of, 94 
Et'na, Mount, S7 
Eu-ryd'i-ce, wife of Orpheus, 

126, 128, 133, 134, 135 



152 



INDEX AND GLOSSARY 



Fates, the three, 83 

Forest of Dodona, xvii, 29, 30 

Forge of Hephaestus, 61 

G/E'a, queen of the world, 2 

Gal-a-te'a, 14 

Gan'y-mede, cup-bearer of the 

Olympian gods, 59 
Ge-rar'd Fran'gois Pascal, 65 
Giorgione (jor-jo'ne), artist, 71 
Gol'den Fleece, 78, 117 
Gordian Knot, 144 
Golden Touch, 147 
Gor'di-us, 144, 145 
Gor'gon, 38 
Graces, 94, loi 
Greece, 6 

Greeks, xv, xxi, xxii, i 
Greek myths, xxi, xxii 
Guido Reni, artist, 124 

Ha'des, brother of Zeus and 
king of the lower world, 
xviii, xix, 134 

Hall of Judgment, xx 

He'li-os, 37, no, 113, 114 

Hel'en, wife of Menelaus, 81 

Hell'enes, 21 

He-phaes'tus (Vul'can), son of 
Zeus, god of fire, 18, 19, 38, 
56,57; and his forge, 61 ; 114 

He'ra (Juno), queen of heaven, 
5 ; head of, 10 ; 98, 140, 141, 
142 

Her'a-cles (Her'cu-les), 21, 78 



Her'mes (Mer'cu-ry), messenger 
of the gods, 19, 23, 31, 33, 
33, 61, 81, 85, 129, 130, 131, 

135, 137 
Hes-per'i-des, three beautiful 

maidens, 5 ; apples of, 6 
Hes'ti-a, sister of Zeus, 5 
Hip-pom'e-nes, 74 
Hope, 25 ; statue of, 26 
Hours, 1 01 
Hy-a-cin'thus, 125 
Hy-ge'ia, daughter of Asclepius, 

loi 
Hy-per-bo're-ans, xvii 

Ic'Ti-NUS, a Greek architect, 49 

Ida, Mount, 79, 8r 

Isles of the Blessed, xvii, xxi 

Jamestown, Va., 1 1 
Ja'son, 60, 78 
Ju'pi-ter, same as Zeus 
Jupiter Ammon, temple of, 30 
Ju'no, same as Hera 

Kro'nos, 2, 3, 4, 5 

La-che'sis (la-ke'sis), 83 
La-to'na, same as Leto 
Laurel-tree, 123, 124 
Lem'nos, 61 
Le'the, river of forgetfulness, 

XX 

Le'to (Latona), mother of Apollo 

and Artemis, 98, 138 
Le'to and her Children, picture 

of, 102 



153 



GREEK MYTHS AND THEIR ART 



Ma'ia, mother of Hermes, 130 
Maiden Goddess, temple of, 

46 
Mau-so'lus, 131 
Me-du'sa, a Gorgon, 38 
Me'los, island of, 68 
Men-e-la'us, Greek king, 81 
Mer'cu-ry, same as Hermes 
Mi'das, a king, 144, 145, 146, 

147, 148, 149 
Milky Way, xxi 
Mi-ner'va, same as Athene 
Morris William, artist, 95 
Mount Ida, 79, 81 
Mu-sag'e-tes, Apollo, 131 
Mount ^tna, ^'j 
Mu'ses, loi, 132, 135 

Nar-cis'sus, 140, 141, 142, 143 
Nei'de, E'mil, artist, 96, 97 
Nep'tune, same as Poseidon 
Ni'ke, temple of, 45 
Ni'o-be, 136, 137, 138, 139; 
statue of, 139 

Ocean River, xvi 
Olive-tree, 42, 47 
CE-no'ne, wife of Paris, 81 
Old Man of the Sea, 127, 128 
0-lym'pi-a, 8 
O-lym'pus, xviii, xxi 
Or'pheus, 133, 134, 135 
O-tric'o-li, Zeus, 10 

Pac-to'lus, river, 149 
Palace of the Sun, 114 



Pal-la'di-um, a statue of Athene, 

48 
Pan, 124, 14s, 146, 149 
Pan-a-ce'a, daughter of Ascle- 

pius, loi 
Pan-a-the-na'ic, procession, 8' 
Pan-a-the-nae'a, Attic festival, 43 
Pan-do'ra, 19, 23 
Par'is, prince of Troy, 79; 

statue of, 80 
Par-nas'sus, Mount, loi, 107, 

109 
Par'the-non, temple of Athene, 

7, 46 ; restored, 48, 49 ; ruins 
of, 50 ; wrecked by the Turks, 
51 

Pa-tro'clus, 64 

Pe'leus, "]% 

Pe'li-as, king of I-ol'chas, 117, 
118 

Pe-ne'us, river, 121, 122 

Pep'los, robe of Athene, 43, 45 

Per'i-cles, an Athenian states- 
man, 7 

Per-seph'o-ne (Proserpine), 
queen of the lower world, 
93, 96 

Per'sians, 48 

Perugino (pa-ro-je'no), an Italian 
painter, 14 

Pha'e-thon, 113, 114, 115 

Phei'di-as, a great sculptor, 6, 

8, 9, 38, 39, 49 
Phi-le'mon, 31 
Phi-lom'e-lus, Greek general, 

108 
Phleg'e-thon, river of fire, xx 
Phryg'i-a, a country in Asia 

Minor, 31 



154 



INDEX AND GLOSSARY 



Poseidon (po-sl'don), (Neptune), 
brother of Zeus, ruler of the 
sea, 6; contest with Athene, 
40,41,42; 47, 115 

Poussin (poo-san'), Nicholas, 
artist, 1 1 

Poynter, Sir Edward, Jr., artist, 

IS 
Pri'am, king of Troy, 80, 81 

Pro-me'theiis, one of the Titans, 
4, 16, 17, 18, 19, 23, 43 

Pro-py-lae'a, entrance to the 
Acropolis, 45 

Prax-it'e-les, sculptor, 139 

Proserpine (pros'er-pin), same 
as Persephone 

Pro'te-us, 127, 128 

Psyche (si'ke), 86 

P5^g-ma'li-on, sculptor, ^"j 

Pyr'rha, wife of Deucalion, 20 

Pyth'i-a, a priestess, 108 

Py'thon, 106 

Raphael (ra'fa-el), San'zi-o, an 
Italian painter, 13 

Re'ni, Gui'do, artist, 124 

Rhe'a, 2, 3, 11, 75 

Rhodes, island of, 105 

Rom'u-lus, founder of Rome, 85 

Ros-set'ti, Dan'te Ga'bri-el, ar- 
tist, 95 

Ru'bens, Peter Paul, artist, 102 

Sacred Boy, 123 

Sacred Talking Oak, 30 

Sco'pas, sculptor, 131 

Seven wonders of the world, 105 

Sic'i-ly, 1 10 

Si-le'nus, 137 

Sistine (sis' tin) Madonna, 14, 15 



Sistine Chapel, 14 

Styx, river in Hades, xviii, 93 

T/en'a-rus, xviii 

Ta'los, brass giant, 60 

Tan'ta-lus, 136 

Tar'ta-rus, a prison in Hades, xx 

Tem'pe, Vale of, 108 

The'tis, a sea-nymph, 57, 59, 78, 
99 

Thor'vald-sen (tor'vald-zen), Al- 
bert Bertel, sculptor, 26 

Ti'tans, children of Titan, an- 
cient sun god, 4, 6 

Titian, Tiziano Vecelli (tish'an, 
teet-se-an'o va-chel'le), artist, 
69 

Uffizi (of- fed'ze), gallery of, 139 
U'ra-nus, 2 
U-lys'ses, 1 1 o 

Vale of Tem'pe, 121 
Vatican Gallery, Rome, 39 
Vecelli, Gregorio, 70 
Ve-las'quez, Diego de Silva, 61 
Ve'nus, same as Aphrodite 
Venus of Melos, 68 
Vul'can, same as Hephaestus 

World, map of, as understood 

by the ancient Greeks, xvii 
Wingless Victory, 45 

Zeph'yr, the west wind, 88 
Zeus (zus), xxi, 2. 3, 4 ; statue 
of, 6 ; in his car, picture of, 
13; 18,29,31,32,33,34,35, 
36, 39, 41, 42, 79, 83, 94, 99, 
101, 107, no, 116, 136, 138, 
140, 141 



55 






103 79 ^ 



^^UJ/< 




V . " • 



-. .^^^OJ/^,^ A>' o. 



A 























0- 





-^*'Vj^°v\ 








.^ ^i^M^/^< ^^ v>' o^^^^^^y^- '-^^ ^^ ^i^^m:^^^. ^^ <-^ 




^o v^ 







.f^ 




^o V" 



